The Colonial Parkway Murders have long cast a shadow along Virginia’s coast, as the brutal murders of four couples in the ‘80s have remained unsolved for nearly 40 years.
In 2024, there was a big breakthrough. Authorities announced a man named Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. had been positively linked to the 1987 double murder of David Knobling and Robin Edwards, as well as the murder of Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell. Wilmer died in December 2017 at the age of 63.
Now, on January 20, 2026, the FBI Norfolk Field Office announced they have linked Wilmer to two more homicides — the murders of Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski — through “persistent investigation” and “breakthroughs in forensic technology.”
Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski began dating in the spring of 1986. The couple was last seen by witnesses on October 9, 1986. Three days later, Cathleen’s car was found in an embankment near Virginia’s York River, off Colonial Parkway. Cathleen and Becky were found in the car. They had been strangled and stabbed to death.
“Thomas was a vibrant young woman known for her compassion, intelligence, and close relationships with family and friends,” the FBI Norfolk Field Office press release stated. “Dowski was a talented musician and college student with a promising future, remembered for her creativity, kindness and love of music. Their lives were tragically cut short, but they were never forgotten by the investigators who continued to pursue justice on their behalf.”
In its press release, the FBI stated that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia confirmed that, “had Wilmer Sr. been alive today, the evidence developed through this investigation would have supported federal prosecution.”
Dominique Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office, shared a statement in the press release. “I am incredibly proud of the work done by the men and women of FBI Norfolk, whose tenacity and commitment to justice never wavered,” she said. “This investigation demonstrates the strength of our partnership with the Virginia State Police, the Hampton Police Division, and the Suffolk Police Department, and our shared determination to never give up on victims or their families. We are thankful that advances in technology and DNA evidence allowed us to finally bring answers in this case.”
The press release also expressed gratitude to Cathleen and Rebecca’s families “for their patience, strength and perseverance over nearly four decades.”
“We hope today’s resolution brings peace and a measure of closure to those who have endured years of uncertainty,” the press release stated. The department stressed that investigators’ work is not finished and they will continue “to actively pursue unsolved cases related to the Colonial Parkway murders.”
If you have any additional information related to the Colonial Parkway Murders, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or go online at tips.fbi.gov.
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