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Who Killed...?

Colonial Parkway Murders Part 1 w/ Bill Thomas

Who Killed...?

Bill Huffman

True Crime, Society & Culture, History

3.8595 Ratings

🗓️ 9 January 2024

⏱️ 54 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

With the news of a break in the Colonial Parkway Murders, I wanted to re-release an interview I conducted with Bill Thomas, brother of victim Cathy Thomas, where we discussed the case, which was at a standstill in 2019. Some essential facts about the Colonial Parkway are if you have never had the pleasure of driving it or experiencing it on a class trip. According to the National Park Service https://www.nps.gov/colo/parkway.htm The Colonial Parkway is a twenty-three mile scenic roadway stretching from the York River at Yorktown to the James River at Jamestown.  The road does it best to remind drivers of days past as the parkway does not allow semi trucks and is toll-free. As you meander though the parkway you are graced with beautiful views of the James and York rivers that run along the parkway. According to Triple A "redbuds and dogwoods decorate the roadway in spring, while fall brings an explosion of autumn colors” From an article in the Daily Press in 1990, the parkway is no place to be after dark ”At night, the mood changes. The trees form a tunnel of blackness, broken only if the moon is shining. There are no streetlights, no call boxes and no fast-food restaurants or convenience stores where a driver might find refuge in case of a breakdown”. The parkway is under the rangers' jurisdiction because it is federal land owned by the National Park Service When a serious crime is committed, the York County Sheriff's Department, the Williamsburg or James City police departments are called to assist, Neprash said.  The parkway is federal land, the FBI may also become involved in investigations. Crimemuseum.org says, "police have questioned 150 suspects in connection to these four cases, but all have been cleared.  The police attribute these eight murders to the same killer because of similarities in each case.  All of the victims were killed at or near their car, the first three being found at known lover’s lane areas.  None of the victims were robbed, and sexual assault did not appear to be a motive in any of the cases.  The first and third murders were mere miles apart, and the second and fourth were committed about a half hour away from the Parkway. In 2018, the Facebook page Colonial Parkway Murders, which is run by Cathy’s brother Bill Thomas, and today's guest revealed that DNA had been found at 3 of the 4 crime scenes which could potentially conclusively link the cases and lead to an arrest. Hair that had been found in Cathy’s hand and a biological sample found on Robin have never been tested The First couple to fall victim Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski  Cathleen Thomas, 27, Class of 1981 graduate United States Naval Academy and College of William & Mary senior Rebecca Ann Dowski, 21. On October 12, 1986, Columbus Day weekend, their bodies were found inside Thomas' white 1980 Honda Civic at the Cheatham Annex Overlook  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Slow Burn Media, Evergreen Podcast, presents forgotten by people at Hampton Roads.

0:29.6

They're the first two victims of the Colonial Parkway murders.

0:33.6

Three days later, on Sunday evening, that car, a Honda Civic, was found off the colonial parkway.

0:39.3

It had been rolled into these bushes almost into the water.

0:42.3

I won't ever stop. This is very important to me and to my family.

0:46.3

Typically what the FBI will do is the investigative agent will text me and say,

0:51.3

can you please call me and I'll know they have some news. And we're talking a lot these days, and I'm thrilled about that.

0:57.0

Me and one of the other detectives found David, about 50 feet down, I guess.

1:02.0

She had a beautiful smile in a loving way.

1:07.0

He doesn't leave his truck unlocked. Hello. Hello and welcome to this week's episode of Who Killed Amy Mahalovic,

1:37.0

a podcast that takes a deep dive into cases you may not have heard of and others you may have.

1:44.6

I am your host, Bill Huffman, and this week's case is one any true crime fan or news junkie is

1:51.3

familiar with, and that is the colonial parkway murders.

1:56.3

Instead of my usual show where I tell the story, I'm going to start off with some facts about

2:01.1

the area and the case, and then I'm going to let someone who knows way more about the situation

2:06.4

to show my listeners the way.

2:09.9

So this week I am joined by Bill Thomas, the brother of Kathy Thomas, one of the first victims

2:16.1

in the Colonial Parkway murders. Bill is remarkably candid

2:20.4

about the experience of being the brother of a victim and the fight he has had to endure

2:25.5

to get the resources necessary to solve his sister's case. The Colonial Parkway murders

2:31.5

were a string of serial killings that occurred in just a three-year span from 1986 to 1989 and remains unsolved to this day.

2:43.0

This is a case with many ups and downs, suspects galore and coincidences that just cannot be explained.

...

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