LANCASTER, Va. (AP) — DNA evidence has linked a Virginia fisherman who passed away in 2017 to a series of brutal murders in the 1980s, providing closure for the families of the victims who had long awaited justice.
Alan W. Wilmer, who died at the age of 63, had no previous felonies to his name, allowing investigators to collect his DNA only after his death, according to Virginia State Police.
Wilmer is suspected of a killing spree that began in 1987 when he allegedly murdered David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14. The bodies of the pair were found several days after their pickup truck was abandoned in a coastal nature preserve called the Ragged Island Wildlife Refuge. Both had been shot to death, and it appeared that Edwards was sexually assaulted.
These murders were among a series of four couples killed between 1986 and 1989, known as the “Colonial Parkway Murders,” due to the scenic highways where they took place.
Wilmer is also suspected of murdering Teresa Lynn Howell, 29, in Hampton, where she had been sexually assaulted and then strangled.
Lt. Col. Tim Lyon, director of the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, thanked the families for their patience and understanding over the years, acknowledging their deep sorrow and frustration at not knowing who was responsible for the violent and cruel deaths of their loved ones.
Investigations are ongoing to determine if Wilmer is responsible for any other crimes, and authorities are asking anyone with information about him to come forward.