GLOUCESTER, Va. – A fisherman who passed away in 2017 has been linked to three unsolved homicides in Virginia from the 1980s, including two of the notorious “Colonial Parkway Murders,” as announced by law enforcement officials Monday.
The suspect, Alan W. Wilmer Sr., has been identified by the Virginia State Police in connection to the cases, although few details have been provided about how he is linked to the killings. Authorities stated that Wilmer would have faced charges if he were still alive.
Wilmer’s DNA was obtained legally after his death, as he was not a convicted felon and thus not in any law enforcement databases. Two of the victims were sexually assaulted in the incidents.
The “Colonial Parkway Murders” consisted of the deaths of three couples and the presumed death of a fourth couple, whose bodies were never found. The killings took place between 1986 and 1989 near a scenic drive connecting Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown in southeastern Virginia.
One of the cases involves the 1989 slaying of Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell, which is not connected to the Colonial Parkway killings. Her body was discovered at a construction site, and she was last seen outside a popular nightclub.
Officials declared that no forensic or physical evidence currently links the double homicide in Isle of Wight County to the other cases, although investigations into the other incidents remain active.
The families of the victims expressed gratitude for the investigators’ efforts and technological advancements that have brought them some closure after decades of uncertainty. The suspect, Wilmer, has been described as 5’5″ tall, with sandy-brown hair, blue eyes, and a close-cropped beard. He went by the nickname “Pokey” and was associated with a blue 1966 Dodge Fargo pickup truck with the license plate “EM-RAW.”
The FBI is urging anyone with information about Wilmer to come forward, emphasizing that it’s not too late to provide crucial information.
Overall, this case reflects a significant breakthrough in a series of cold-case murders that had haunted the community for years.