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The murders are
the ultimate mystery.
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Where were they killed,
by whom,
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and with what motive?
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Were they killed deliberately
or by chance?
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Questions, which, as of now,
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have no answers.
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[Joe] Nearly 40 years ago,
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the Colonial Parkway
became a symbol of terror
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for a generation
of Virginians.
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[reporter] Eight young people.
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All may have died at the hand
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of the same killer.
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It's Virginia's
oldest and largest
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serial killing spree.
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The Colonial Parkway Murders.
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Oh, my God. There's somebody
that's targeting these kids.
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A predator was hunting here...
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[reporter] The cases involved
abandoned cars at notorious
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lovers' lanes.
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...selecting targets
at random...
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[reporter] The cars contained
victims' clothing,
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wallets and keys,
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with no signs of struggle.
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...and leaving no survivors.
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It was horrible.
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[helicopter hovering]
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[Joe] Now,
we're able to say,
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after all of those years,
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the perpetrator has
finally been identified.
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Serial killers always have
a pause between their events.
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But as time moves on,
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-the hunger returns.
-[gun cocking]
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[gunshots]
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"Let me do this again,
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'cause, God,
it was good the first time."
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[opening theme song playing]
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[Joe] I spent my career
closing murder cases.
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But I'm not the only one
who answered the call.
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It takes a rare breed
to solve the unsolvable,
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to catch a ruthless killer,
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to find justice for the dead.
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That's what it takes
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to be an American detective.
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[siren wailing]
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At about 5:30
in the evening...
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[sirens continue]
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...two park policemen
respond to a 911 call,
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reporting an accident
on the Colonial Parkway.
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They are flagged down
by an individual.
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They follow him
a short distance
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to an embankment
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above the York River,
which flows through the park.
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They see a 1980
white Honda sedan,
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nose-first in the river.
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[car doors closing]
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They immediately
work their way down,
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to see if there's someone
trapped in this car.
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They find two women in the car
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with a ghost-like appearance.
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And their throats
have been deeply slashed.
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[radio beeps]
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This is not an accident,
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it's a homicide.
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What you see in front of you
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is the actual
Colonial Parkway.
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My name is Danny Plott.
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During the Colonial Parkway
murder investigations,
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I was a special agent
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with the Virginia
State Police.
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Back when the 1986
murder occurred,
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the Colonial Parkway
was similar,
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but it wasn't
as well-maintained.
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It was a beautiful
scenic drive.
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But in the late '80s,
when these murders occurred,
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it was... it was a pretty
dark and spooky place.
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Plott is an old-time cop.
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Danny has suffered the
slings and arrows, like me,
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of the press and the public
and the two-bit politicians,
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and so on and so on.
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So, it was a natural thing
that he and I became friends.
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-Hey, man.
-[Danny] Joe.
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How are you?
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-Good. Yourself?
-The same.
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I'm still walking around.
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Me and you both.
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Danny first called me
because he liked my show.
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I watched it an episode
of Homicide Hunter,
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and Joe's...
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Joe's show was wonderful.
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You know, he would
say something
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and then, there'd be
the, "My, my, my."
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I was impressed.
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And he let me know that,
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and asked me what it was like
to live in Colorado Springs,
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and I informed him
I had moved.
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And he said,
"I live in Suffolk, Virginia."
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No shit.
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He asked if we could
meet for lunch.
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I said yes.
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Talking with Joe is
an experience in itself.
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His ability with murders
is amazing to me.
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I talked to him for hours
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about the Colonial
Parkway Murders.
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Which I had vaguely
heard about,
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2,200 miles away, in Colorado.
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They meant nothing
to me at the time
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because they were outside
my jurisdiction.
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But now, they interested me.
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Danny Plott mentioned
that there's been
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an enormous amount
of press coverage.
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There's been a book
written about him,
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all kinds of things,
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and I did not disagree
with his thought process
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on the entire case.
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He was certainly
on the right track.
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For 37 years,
the killer was unknown,
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and the Colonial
Parkway Murders
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was his torturous career case.
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[Danny] Solving the case
became an infatuation.
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It became frustrating.
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Sometimes we felt like
we were really close
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in finding who did
these murders.
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And then, something
would knock them out of it.
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Every stone that you could
think of was overturned,
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yet here we were.
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Nobody was in handcuffs.
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The Colonial Parkway
is a rural, scenic road
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that connects three
of the biggest historical
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places in the
Commonwealth of Virginia.
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Yorktown all the way
to Jamestown,
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and the Williamsburg area.
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And because
it's a federal park,
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there are no structures,
no businesses, no billboards,
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no marks of the 21st century.
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There are trees
and bushes and vines.
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So, if you're on
this stretch at night,
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you're in a Stephen King
novel for 23 miles.
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The Parkway also
has multiple overlooks.
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You can call it
a lovers' lane.
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If you wanted privacy,
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it was the perfect place.
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[girls giggling]
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The murders started
in October of 1986.
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-[sirens wailing]
-[radio chatter]
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The park rangers were aghast
at what they saw.
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The park police summoned
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the Federal Bureau
of Investigation,
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the only jurisdiction
within that park,
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because it is
federal property.
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[camera shutter clicking]
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[Danny] The two girls,
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they were identified
immediately
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because their identifications
were in the car.
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Cathleen Thomas.
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And Rebecca Dowski.
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Their throats had been
cut very badly.
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This was something brutal.
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What was very puzzling
to the FBI,
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that blood was not in the car.
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[Steve] The amount of blood
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would have been substantial,
and we've never found
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any bloody prints,
any bloody clothing.
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Clearly, inside of that car
is not the crime scene.
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Somewhere else they were
killed, and put into that car.
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Was it driven there?
I don't know.
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[Joe] They examine
the ground
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in this pull-off area,
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assuming they will find
a second set of tire tracks.
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They find tire tracks
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that match the tires
on the Honda,
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but they find no tire tracks
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of another vehicle.
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[Danny] What was
really perplexing was,
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the car was covered
in diesel fuel.
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And there were matches...
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around, where it appeared
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that someone had tried
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to get the diesel
fuel to light.
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Diesel has a very high
ignition point.
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You could light an
entire book of matches
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and throw it into
liquid diesel fuel,
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and all that would happen is,
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the diesel fuel would
put out the fire.
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It was a failed
attempt at trying
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to cover up their crime.
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Now, what does that tell you?
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[police radio chatter]
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Whoever this is
has diesel fuel.
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There's a lot of people
that carry diesel fuel
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in and around,
in their vehicle.
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Truckers do,
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people that have a diesel car,
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or people with boats.
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Interesting.
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This was not
an easy case to solve.
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Why would somebody
target two women?
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There's no money taken,
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and they're viciously,
I mean, viciously attacked.
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Whoever is responsible
for this crime...
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is an organized offender.
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He has a plan.
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He somehow gets control
of these people,
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and then, he attacks
and kills both,
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and sends the car
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over the side
of this embankment.
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You and I both know
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it's not difficult
to push a car.
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You kick it out of gear,
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and one person can
easily move a car.
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Sure, but remember
that it's sitting
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00:11:02,266 --> 00:11:04,100
in an overlook.
It's a paved overlook.
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00:11:04,266 --> 00:11:06,367
Then you have
a patch of grass.
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00:11:06,367 --> 00:11:08,667
-[Joe] Hmm.
-And there's a curb.
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Not a high curb,
but there's a curb,
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00:11:10,867 --> 00:11:13,166
so someone, or some people,
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were strong enough to push it,
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pop it over that,
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but with two passengers in it,
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00:11:19,166 --> 00:11:22,000
always felt like it was
somebody with some strength.
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Likely a man.
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00:11:23,367 --> 00:11:24,767
-Could have a helper.
-Yeah.
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00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,300
[Joe] So, now
you have a solid view
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00:11:28,467 --> 00:11:30,567
of what this crime scene
looks like.
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00:11:30,567 --> 00:11:33,100
But you're not even
really sure how it happened.
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00:11:33,100 --> 00:11:35,200
You need an autopsy
to tell you more.
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00:11:38,567 --> 00:11:40,000
So, the FBI agents head
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00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,100
to the Virginia State
Medical Examiner's Office.
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00:11:45,667 --> 00:11:47,400
[water dripping]
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00:11:50,867 --> 00:11:52,967
The autopsy results show that
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00:11:53,133 --> 00:11:56,200
the girls had been dead
for a minimum of 24 hours.
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00:11:58,667 --> 00:12:01,900
Rebecca's throat was cut
and it was cut viciously.
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00:12:06,100 --> 00:12:08,800
But Cathleen was
almost decapitated.
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There's a brutality in that.
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00:12:14,834 --> 00:12:16,367
I think that says
that somebody
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00:12:16,533 --> 00:12:19,066
was really angry
for whatever reason.
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There was no evidence
of sexual assault
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00:12:21,266 --> 00:12:22,367
on either victim.
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00:12:22,533 --> 00:12:24,266
But they found something else.
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00:12:26,100 --> 00:12:28,000
The autopsy revealed that
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00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,967
both girls suffered
ligature strangulation.
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A ligature is any device
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used to put pressure
on the neck,
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to restrict the windpipe,
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to die from asphyxia.
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[Danny] And in
Cathleen's hair,
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00:12:45,100 --> 00:12:47,867
there was a small
piece of rope.
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00:12:49,667 --> 00:12:51,867
[Joe] The autopsy
further decides that
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00:12:51,867 --> 00:12:54,800
the throat slashing was
accomplished postmortem.
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It had nothing to do
with their death.
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They were dead when
their throats were cut.
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They were essentially
killed twice.
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00:13:04,667 --> 00:13:06,967
Who the hell are we
dealing with here?
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00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,767
[dramatic music playing]
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00:13:14,367 --> 00:13:15,567
[reporter]
Rebecca and Cathleen
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00:13:15,734 --> 00:13:17,266
were last seen Thursday night.
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00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,166
A Honda Civic was found
off the Colonial Parkway.
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00:13:22,166 --> 00:13:24,066
It had been rolled
into these bushes,
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00:13:24,233 --> 00:13:25,767
almost into the water.
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00:13:25,934 --> 00:13:28,233
The women were found
with their throats slit...
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00:13:30,667 --> 00:13:32,266
[Joe] The FBI agents
go and notify
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00:13:32,433 --> 00:13:35,100
the two victims' families
of their untimely demise,
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00:13:35,100 --> 00:13:37,367
and say, "Tell me
about your daughter."
263
00:13:41,900 --> 00:13:43,300
My name's Bill Thomas.
264
00:13:43,467 --> 00:13:45,500
I'm the older brother
of Cathy Thomas.
265
00:13:47,066 --> 00:13:49,000
She was fun and smart
266
00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,467
and, uh, a great friend.
267
00:13:51,634 --> 00:13:54,066
And her attitude
268
00:13:54,233 --> 00:13:56,467
was just so positive,
269
00:13:57,100 --> 00:13:58,967
that people were drawn to her.
270
00:14:00,100 --> 00:14:02,200
She graduated
in the second class
271
00:14:02,367 --> 00:14:05,033
from the US Naval Academy
that had women.
272
00:14:07,500 --> 00:14:09,667
She ended up first
serving on this ship,
273
00:14:09,667 --> 00:14:13,767
a submarine tender
called the SS L. Y. Spear.
274
00:14:14,867 --> 00:14:16,867
Now, it's during
this time, though,
275
00:14:17,033 --> 00:14:18,767
she's also investigated
276
00:14:19,300 --> 00:14:20,500
for being a lesbian.
277
00:14:22,700 --> 00:14:24,266
In the 1980s,
278
00:14:24,266 --> 00:14:27,867
the Navy remained archaic,
279
00:14:27,867 --> 00:14:29,500
with draconian rules.
280
00:14:29,667 --> 00:14:31,967
Homosexuality
was not acceptable
281
00:14:32,500 --> 00:14:33,800
in any form.
282
00:14:34,467 --> 00:14:37,100
Particularly so in a female.
283
00:14:38,767 --> 00:14:40,467
This was not gonna be a place
284
00:14:40,634 --> 00:14:44,100
that she could live
her life as a lesbian
285
00:14:44,100 --> 00:14:45,500
in an open fashion.
286
00:14:45,667 --> 00:14:47,500
And she resigned
her commission.
287
00:14:48,867 --> 00:14:50,367
[Bill] Even though
she'd left the Navy
288
00:14:50,367 --> 00:14:51,300
with great reluctance,
289
00:14:51,467 --> 00:14:53,367
Cathy was actually
turning a corner
290
00:14:53,533 --> 00:14:55,600
into a really happy,
291
00:14:55,767 --> 00:14:57,400
less pressured,
292
00:14:57,567 --> 00:14:58,800
version of her life.
293
00:15:00,066 --> 00:15:03,166
She was dating this wonderful
woman, Rebecca Dowski.
294
00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,867
Rebecca Dowski came from
Poughkeepsie, New York.
295
00:15:09,033 --> 00:15:11,066
She originally attended
Dickinson College,
296
00:15:11,233 --> 00:15:12,700
and had transferred
297
00:15:12,867 --> 00:15:15,767
to the College of
William and Mary in Virginia.
298
00:15:15,767 --> 00:15:17,066
She was a very bright student
299
00:15:17,233 --> 00:15:20,367
and she really
fit in well there.
300
00:15:21,266 --> 00:15:23,066
[Bill] She was in
her senior year.
301
00:15:23,233 --> 00:15:25,867
Sweet, smart,
extremely athletic.
302
00:15:26,033 --> 00:15:29,800
She was on the championship
women's softball team.
303
00:15:29,967 --> 00:15:33,166
So, both Cathy
and Becky had this
304
00:15:33,166 --> 00:15:36,166
"I can accomplish anything"
attitude.
305
00:15:36,166 --> 00:15:37,900
Cathy and her girlfriend
306
00:15:38,066 --> 00:15:40,767
were not accepted
by society at large.
307
00:15:40,934 --> 00:15:43,367
Privacy was very
important to them.
308
00:15:43,533 --> 00:15:45,367
What better place
309
00:15:45,533 --> 00:15:47,767
than the Colonial Parkway
at night?
310
00:15:58,166 --> 00:15:59,767
[Blaine] The FBI investigators
311
00:15:59,934 --> 00:16:01,300
focused on Cathy
312
00:16:01,467 --> 00:16:04,867
being in a lesbian
relationship with Becky.
313
00:16:04,867 --> 00:16:07,900
Now, what really makes
that come into play is,
314
00:16:08,066 --> 00:16:10,100
she had been dating
someone else.
315
00:16:11,667 --> 00:16:14,200
[indistinct shouting]
316
00:16:15,567 --> 00:16:16,767
[Steve] There were
all of these rumors
317
00:16:16,934 --> 00:16:19,367
that one of Rebecca's
ex-lovers had gotten angry,
318
00:16:19,533 --> 00:16:21,667
and retaliated against
the both of them.
319
00:16:23,266 --> 00:16:25,767
He was Muslim.
The Muslim religion
320
00:16:25,767 --> 00:16:27,700
does not always look
321
00:16:27,867 --> 00:16:30,867
at gay or lesbian
relationships kindly.
322
00:16:30,867 --> 00:16:33,166
-[indistinct conversation]
-[chuckling]
323
00:16:33,333 --> 00:16:36,500
[Joe] Ex-boyfriend,
Sharif Ali,
324
00:16:36,667 --> 00:16:38,767
realizes that Becky
has left him
325
00:16:38,767 --> 00:16:40,066
for another woman.
326
00:16:43,266 --> 00:16:45,166
He is furious.
327
00:16:45,333 --> 00:16:48,000
He has very strong feelings
about homosexual behavior,
328
00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:51,266
and now, he's been
passed over for a member
329
00:16:51,433 --> 00:16:53,567
of the same sex,
by his girlfriend.
330
00:16:53,734 --> 00:16:56,266
It makes him
an astounding suspect.
331
00:16:58,467 --> 00:17:00,867
[siren wailing]
332
00:17:02,266 --> 00:17:04,567
So, they bring Ali Sharif
in for questioning.
333
00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:10,066
And he admits...
334
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,867
that he has been embarrassed
by her departure
335
00:17:14,867 --> 00:17:16,600
for another female,
336
00:17:17,266 --> 00:17:19,000
but he would never
do her harm.
337
00:17:22,300 --> 00:17:23,867
He also has an alibi.
338
00:17:23,867 --> 00:17:26,667
He was in Washington, DC
for the weekend,
339
00:17:26,834 --> 00:17:28,166
200 miles away
340
00:17:28,166 --> 00:17:29,567
during the time
of the killings.
341
00:17:33,467 --> 00:17:34,667
He may have had a motive,
342
00:17:34,834 --> 00:17:36,734
but he physically
couldn't have done it.
343
00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:40,567
Over the next few weeks,
344
00:17:41,700 --> 00:17:43,500
the investigation slows,
345
00:17:43,667 --> 00:17:45,700
but the notoriety of the case
346
00:17:45,867 --> 00:17:47,600
really starts to move.
347
00:17:47,767 --> 00:17:50,000
[reporter] The two friends
were last seen together
348
00:17:50,166 --> 00:17:51,900
in Dowski's dorm room
at 7:00 p.m.
349
00:17:52,066 --> 00:17:54,567
Police sources think
Dowski and Thomas
350
00:17:54,734 --> 00:17:57,166
then drove here,
to the Colonial Parkway.
351
00:17:57,333 --> 00:17:59,900
I remember the ratings
were extremely high.
352
00:18:00,133 --> 00:18:01,200
People were watching.
353
00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,467
They were talking about
the romantic relationship
354
00:18:03,634 --> 00:18:04,367
between the two.
355
00:18:04,367 --> 00:18:05,967
One of the motives
for a killer
356
00:18:06,133 --> 00:18:07,400
is someone that is
357
00:18:07,567 --> 00:18:09,100
opposed to this
type of lifestyle.
358
00:18:10,300 --> 00:18:12,667
[reporter] Friends say driving
along the Colonial Parkway
359
00:18:12,834 --> 00:18:14,800
was a Thursday night routine
360
00:18:14,967 --> 00:18:16,567
for Dowski and Thomas.
361
00:18:16,734 --> 00:18:19,567
But what happened
October 9th wasn't routine.
362
00:18:19,567 --> 00:18:20,667
It was murder.
363
00:18:20,667 --> 00:18:22,266
I don't think we understood
364
00:18:22,433 --> 00:18:25,066
the full gravity of
what happened out there,
365
00:18:25,233 --> 00:18:28,266
in October of '86
366
00:18:28,433 --> 00:18:30,900
until September of ' 87.
367
00:18:31,066 --> 00:18:34,467
Then I think it took on
a different life of its own.
368
00:18:47,266 --> 00:18:48,567
[police siren chirps]
369
00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:51,667
[Joe] An Isle of Wight
sheriff's deputy
370
00:18:51,667 --> 00:18:52,767
is out patrolling
371
00:18:52,934 --> 00:18:55,567
the Ragged Island
Wildlife Management Area.
372
00:19:01,567 --> 00:19:03,967
There is a black pickup truck.
373
00:19:05,567 --> 00:19:06,800
The door is open
374
00:19:07,900 --> 00:19:09,767
and no one is around.
375
00:19:09,767 --> 00:19:11,166
Something was going on.
376
00:19:12,467 --> 00:19:13,867
The truck was running,
377
00:19:14,300 --> 00:19:15,767
the radio was on,
378
00:19:15,934 --> 00:19:18,867
and there were shoes
and articles of clothing
379
00:19:18,867 --> 00:19:19,767
in the truck.
380
00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:24,467
He calls for assistance.
381
00:19:24,634 --> 00:19:25,867
[police sirens wailing]
382
00:19:28,166 --> 00:19:31,567
They go through the truck,
and they notice a wallet
383
00:19:32,667 --> 00:19:33,700
on top of the dashboard
384
00:19:33,867 --> 00:19:35,867
that contains
a driver's license.
385
00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,200
[Danny] It was a gentleman
named David Knobling.
386
00:19:41,100 --> 00:19:43,700
David Knobling
was 19 years old.
387
00:19:43,867 --> 00:19:45,667
He was a resident
of Newport News.
388
00:19:45,667 --> 00:19:49,166
[Joe] His mother has
already reported him missing
389
00:19:49,166 --> 00:19:51,266
'cause he didn't return home
390
00:19:51,266 --> 00:19:52,867
after an evening out.
391
00:19:54,066 --> 00:19:55,867
[Danny] The last time
he was seen
392
00:19:55,867 --> 00:19:57,667
was in the company
of a young lady
393
00:19:57,667 --> 00:19:59,600
named Robin Edwards.
394
00:20:01,266 --> 00:20:04,600
Robin was also
a Newport News resident,
395
00:20:04,767 --> 00:20:07,467
and she was 14 years old,
396
00:20:08,867 --> 00:20:10,600
and was also missing.
397
00:20:15,767 --> 00:20:17,467
[Joe] Now,
everyone is alarmed.
398
00:20:17,467 --> 00:20:20,867
So, where are the occupants
of this vehicle?
399
00:20:21,033 --> 00:20:22,066
And what has happened to them?
400
00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:26,400
Ragged Island
is a creepy place to go.
401
00:20:28,667 --> 00:20:30,967
It's very secluded.
402
00:20:31,133 --> 00:20:33,200
[Danny] This parking lot
403
00:20:33,367 --> 00:20:36,767
was used as
a lovers' lane type area.
404
00:20:36,934 --> 00:20:39,266
It sounds a lot
like Colonial Parkway.
405
00:20:39,266 --> 00:20:42,100
They had a feeling
this wasn't going to end well,
406
00:20:42,266 --> 00:20:43,300
and they were right.
407
00:20:48,266 --> 00:20:49,467
[dramatic music playing]
408
00:20:49,634 --> 00:20:51,200
[reporter] Twenty-year-old
David Knobling
409
00:20:51,367 --> 00:20:53,567
and 14-year-old Robin Edwards
410
00:20:53,567 --> 00:20:55,500
were last seen Saturday night.
411
00:20:56,767 --> 00:20:57,867
His truck was found
412
00:20:58,033 --> 00:21:00,200
with the keys in the ignition,
door open,
413
00:21:00,367 --> 00:21:02,667
and radio on, near
the James River Bridge.
414
00:21:06,166 --> 00:21:07,500
[Joe] The Isle of Wight
sheriff's department
415
00:21:07,667 --> 00:21:09,467
launches a massive search.
416
00:21:13,166 --> 00:21:14,867
It's very difficult to search.
417
00:21:14,867 --> 00:21:16,767
There are vines and weeds
418
00:21:16,767 --> 00:21:19,066
and brush of all sorts.
419
00:21:19,233 --> 00:21:21,700
They could be almost anywhere.
420
00:21:24,166 --> 00:21:26,600
Personnel from
multiple agencies,
421
00:21:26,767 --> 00:21:27,567
a helicopter...
422
00:21:27,567 --> 00:21:28,667
[helicopter hovering]
423
00:21:28,667 --> 00:21:29,867
...search dogs.
424
00:21:29,867 --> 00:21:32,200
This search goes on for days.
425
00:21:32,367 --> 00:21:34,900
And, unfortunately,
on the third day...
426
00:21:37,367 --> 00:21:38,767
they found something.
427
00:21:39,767 --> 00:21:42,567
[Michael] My dad was
out there, at Ragged Island.
428
00:21:42,567 --> 00:21:45,400
Chest waders.
Walking that whole area,
429
00:21:45,567 --> 00:21:46,300
looking for him.
430
00:21:46,467 --> 00:21:48,467
Karl Knobling, God bless him.
431
00:21:49,667 --> 00:21:51,867
There were people that
were telling Karl Knobling
432
00:21:52,033 --> 00:21:52,934
not to go down the beach.
433
00:21:52,934 --> 00:21:55,500
He said, "I...
You aren't gonna stop me.
434
00:21:55,667 --> 00:21:56,700
I'm going down there."
435
00:21:58,900 --> 00:22:01,100
David Knobling's father,
Karl Knobling,
436
00:22:01,266 --> 00:22:02,467
found the bodies.
437
00:22:02,467 --> 00:22:03,867
[helicopter hovering]
438
00:22:10,667 --> 00:22:14,200
I can only imagine
what that's like.
439
00:22:14,367 --> 00:22:16,266
Because they were not
in very good shape.
440
00:22:16,266 --> 00:22:18,200
Oh, he was broken-hearted,
441
00:22:18,367 --> 00:22:20,667
broken-hearted, and we were
out there with him.
442
00:22:28,767 --> 00:22:31,166
It was so devastating.
443
00:22:31,333 --> 00:22:33,200
Karl Knobling
was a broken man.
444
00:22:33,367 --> 00:22:34,867
Yeah, my dad didn't
even have a chance
445
00:22:34,867 --> 00:22:36,066
to call us and give us
a heads-up.
446
00:22:36,233 --> 00:22:37,166
My mom and I...
447
00:22:39,667 --> 00:22:40,567
[sighs]
448
00:22:41,767 --> 00:22:43,166
We found out on the news.
449
00:22:45,467 --> 00:22:47,266
I remember hearing
my mom scream.
450
00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:50,166
My God.
451
00:22:55,066 --> 00:22:56,000
It was horrible.
452
00:22:57,767 --> 00:22:59,767
The bodies were found
453
00:22:59,934 --> 00:23:02,867
further down,
on the riverbank itself.
454
00:23:07,867 --> 00:23:10,367
The James River there
is brackish or brine.
455
00:23:10,533 --> 00:23:13,166
It's not freshwater,
it's not saltwater.
456
00:23:13,166 --> 00:23:15,000
It's a combination.
457
00:23:15,166 --> 00:23:16,066
And that...
458
00:23:17,166 --> 00:23:19,967
did not do good things
to human bodies.
459
00:23:20,133 --> 00:23:22,567
Both bodies are bloated
from decomposition,
460
00:23:22,734 --> 00:23:25,266
having been out
for three or four days.
461
00:23:27,100 --> 00:23:30,967
Robin Edwards had
one gunshot wound,
462
00:23:31,133 --> 00:23:32,767
execution-style,
463
00:23:32,767 --> 00:23:34,200
to the back of her head.
464
00:23:36,667 --> 00:23:39,367
David had two gunshot wounds.
465
00:23:39,533 --> 00:23:41,700
A gunshot wound
to the left shoulder...
466
00:23:43,700 --> 00:23:46,367
and one shot
to the back of the head.
467
00:23:46,367 --> 00:23:48,900
I think Robin was shot first.
468
00:23:49,066 --> 00:23:49,867
[gunshot]
469
00:23:50,867 --> 00:23:52,667
And I think David knew
470
00:23:52,834 --> 00:23:54,000
he had one chance.
471
00:23:56,100 --> 00:23:56,934
We speculate
472
00:23:56,934 --> 00:23:59,967
he tried to climb
a sandy clay bank,
473
00:24:00,567 --> 00:24:01,967
and he was within
474
00:24:02,133 --> 00:24:04,300
almost grabbing distance
475
00:24:04,467 --> 00:24:05,867
of a tree line.
476
00:24:05,867 --> 00:24:06,967
[gunshot]
477
00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,100
That's where he was shot,
once in the shoulder.
478
00:24:11,266 --> 00:24:13,967
That incapacitated him
enough to where...
479
00:24:15,667 --> 00:24:16,567
[gun cocking]
480
00:24:17,567 --> 00:24:18,700
[gunshot]
481
00:24:19,767 --> 00:24:22,266
He was then shot in the back
of the head and killed.
482
00:24:24,266 --> 00:24:25,967
[Michael] I totally
disagree with that.
483
00:24:26,133 --> 00:24:28,066
He would definitely
not run from a fight.
484
00:24:28,233 --> 00:24:30,367
Even if the guy had a gun,
he wouldn't run from it.
485
00:24:31,100 --> 00:24:32,000
[radio chatter]
486
00:24:33,767 --> 00:24:35,500
[Joe] So,
why are these bodies
487
00:24:35,667 --> 00:24:39,000
such a long walk from where
the truck was located?
488
00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:39,967
Why would they go
489
00:24:40,133 --> 00:24:42,000
such a far distance
from this vehicle?
490
00:24:44,166 --> 00:24:45,667
When you leave
that parking lot
491
00:24:45,667 --> 00:24:47,100
and you wanna go down here,
492
00:24:47,100 --> 00:24:49,200
you have to walk
down this boardwalk,
493
00:24:49,367 --> 00:24:50,967
'cause all this is marshland.
494
00:24:51,133 --> 00:24:52,967
-Like, swamp.
-[Joe] Mmm-hmm.
495
00:24:53,133 --> 00:24:54,967
So, to get down to here,
a good little walk.
496
00:24:55,133 --> 00:24:57,700
But you don't walk
down a wooden,
497
00:24:57,867 --> 00:25:00,166
older boardwalk barefoot.
498
00:25:00,333 --> 00:25:02,567
-Not willingly.
-No, not willingly.
499
00:25:02,567 --> 00:25:04,600
So, how did they
end up down there?
500
00:25:04,767 --> 00:25:06,200
Two possibilities,
in my opinion.
501
00:25:06,367 --> 00:25:07,867
They were running
from somebody...
502
00:25:08,033 --> 00:25:09,200
-Mmm-hmm.
-...barefoot,
503
00:25:09,367 --> 00:25:11,767
because they don't have time
to put their shoes on.
504
00:25:12,967 --> 00:25:14,567
Or they were
marched down there
505
00:25:14,734 --> 00:25:16,000
by the perpetrator.
506
00:25:16,967 --> 00:25:18,367
So, who would wanna murder
507
00:25:18,533 --> 00:25:20,200
these two people
in cold blood?
508
00:25:20,367 --> 00:25:21,767
Investigators go
to the families,
509
00:25:21,767 --> 00:25:23,900
to see if they can
determine suspects.
510
00:25:24,867 --> 00:25:26,767
[Michael] This is the way
I see my brother.
511
00:25:26,767 --> 00:25:27,834
Like this one.
512
00:25:29,166 --> 00:25:31,867
Just him laid back,
cutting up, having fun.
513
00:25:32,033 --> 00:25:32,967
Smiling, you know?
514
00:25:34,867 --> 00:25:36,200
I definitely looked up
to David.
515
00:25:36,367 --> 00:25:38,467
He tried toughening me up,
516
00:25:38,467 --> 00:25:41,166
and he did it with
kicking my butt a lot.
517
00:25:41,166 --> 00:25:42,467
[laughing]
518
00:25:42,467 --> 00:25:43,800
He was a great brother.
519
00:25:45,567 --> 00:25:47,867
I met Robin through
my cousin, Jason.
520
00:25:47,867 --> 00:25:49,400
We went to the same
school together.
521
00:25:49,567 --> 00:25:51,200
She was always
a real cool person.
522
00:25:53,066 --> 00:25:55,767
We had, sort of,
prepared ourselves
523
00:25:55,934 --> 00:25:57,266
for them to find her
524
00:25:57,266 --> 00:25:59,800
either hurt,
525
00:25:59,967 --> 00:26:01,100
possibly drowned.
526
00:26:02,567 --> 00:26:05,967
We were not prepared
to find her murdered.
527
00:26:07,767 --> 00:26:09,066
Robin was the youngest
528
00:26:09,233 --> 00:26:11,500
of the Colonial Parkway
murder victims.
529
00:26:11,667 --> 00:26:12,667
She was 14.
530
00:26:14,266 --> 00:26:16,967
She had been
through a lot in life.
531
00:26:17,133 --> 00:26:20,467
She was the kinda girl
that often ran away.
532
00:26:20,467 --> 00:26:22,367
She got into trouble.
[chuckles]
533
00:26:22,367 --> 00:26:24,300
She could be very, very sweet
534
00:26:24,467 --> 00:26:25,967
and she could be
the most aggravating
535
00:26:26,133 --> 00:26:29,000
and irritating child
in the world.
536
00:26:29,166 --> 00:26:30,000
Uh...
537
00:26:30,667 --> 00:26:32,367
She was very independent.
538
00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:34,734
[sighs]
539
00:26:35,567 --> 00:26:38,367
[Blaine] But Robin was also at
a turning point in her life.
540
00:26:38,367 --> 00:26:39,767
She was finally starting
541
00:26:39,767 --> 00:26:42,266
to apply herself
to her classes.
542
00:26:42,266 --> 00:26:44,867
She was starting
to turn things around.
543
00:26:46,700 --> 00:26:48,500
[reporter] The big questions
unanswered are,
544
00:26:48,667 --> 00:26:51,867
why was David with Robin
at the wildlife preserve?
545
00:26:52,033 --> 00:26:54,300
And what happened
after they got there?
546
00:26:58,967 --> 00:27:00,700
[Michael] That day,
I followed him out,
547
00:27:00,867 --> 00:27:02,266
bummed a cigarette from him.
548
00:27:02,266 --> 00:27:03,800
And we talked in the driveway
549
00:27:03,967 --> 00:27:06,567
for 15, 20 minutes, I guess.
550
00:27:06,567 --> 00:27:07,800
And then, he left.
551
00:27:08,567 --> 00:27:10,367
I carried that
through my life,
552
00:27:10,533 --> 00:27:12,266
that I was able
to say bye to him.
553
00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:14,867
I don't know why.
554
00:27:14,867 --> 00:27:16,467
It just seems so small now,
555
00:27:16,467 --> 00:27:18,467
but, at the time, it was big.
556
00:27:22,066 --> 00:27:24,100
[Joe] So, they learned
that David and Robin
557
00:27:24,266 --> 00:27:26,467
were hanging out
in an arcade in the area
558
00:27:26,467 --> 00:27:27,700
with their friends.
559
00:27:29,166 --> 00:27:31,800
And David agreed
to take Robin home.
560
00:27:33,300 --> 00:27:35,066
They are not a couple,
561
00:27:35,233 --> 00:27:36,767
according to their family.
562
00:27:37,867 --> 00:27:39,266
But what does the killer see?
563
00:27:39,767 --> 00:27:41,667
A man and a woman.
564
00:27:41,834 --> 00:27:43,400
And what would
he assume from that?
565
00:27:43,567 --> 00:27:44,567
They are lovers
566
00:27:44,734 --> 00:27:46,100
in lovers' lane,
567
00:27:46,100 --> 00:27:47,800
as were the first two women.
568
00:27:47,967 --> 00:27:49,467
Much of this is very familiar.
569
00:27:50,767 --> 00:27:52,967
[reporter] The murders
are the ultimate mystery.
570
00:27:53,133 --> 00:27:54,500
Where were they killed,
571
00:27:54,667 --> 00:27:56,800
by whom, and with what motive?
572
00:27:56,967 --> 00:27:59,667
Were they killed deliberately
or by chance?
573
00:27:59,667 --> 00:28:01,967
Questions which, as of now,
574
00:28:02,133 --> 00:28:03,500
have no answers.
575
00:28:03,667 --> 00:28:05,000
[Danny] That drove those of us
576
00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:07,100
that worked on the task force,
577
00:28:07,266 --> 00:28:10,266
that we need
to find this person,
578
00:28:10,433 --> 00:28:11,600
because...
579
00:28:12,567 --> 00:28:14,867
they're just heartless
and brutal.
580
00:28:20,700 --> 00:28:23,100
When David and Robin
were autopsied,
581
00:28:23,266 --> 00:28:24,667
the investigation revealed
582
00:28:24,667 --> 00:28:27,100
that Robin had been sodomized,
583
00:28:27,266 --> 00:28:30,500
and there was still semen
in her cavity.
584
00:28:31,667 --> 00:28:33,266
The medical examiner said,
585
00:28:33,433 --> 00:28:35,967
"This sample is very degraded
586
00:28:36,133 --> 00:28:37,667
because you had bodies
587
00:28:37,834 --> 00:28:40,000
laying in the water
for three days."
588
00:28:41,700 --> 00:28:43,567
[Joe] This is 1987.
589
00:28:43,734 --> 00:28:45,767
DNA is in its infancy.
590
00:28:48,166 --> 00:28:51,867
DNA databases were
either non-existent
591
00:28:51,867 --> 00:28:53,367
or just starting,
592
00:28:53,367 --> 00:28:55,567
but the sample was preserved.
593
00:28:59,100 --> 00:29:00,467
So, now what?
594
00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:02,300
[telephone ringing]
595
00:29:06,367 --> 00:29:08,100
There is a possibility
596
00:29:08,100 --> 00:29:11,100
the motive is sexual assault
of a female victim.
597
00:29:11,266 --> 00:29:12,700
But it's only a possibility.
598
00:29:12,867 --> 00:29:13,900
But why kill them?
599
00:29:14,767 --> 00:29:16,367
There's no answer for that.
600
00:29:20,367 --> 00:29:21,767
Despite the differences,
601
00:29:21,767 --> 00:29:23,700
the similarities
are just too great.
602
00:29:24,367 --> 00:29:25,367
Proximity,
603
00:29:26,367 --> 00:29:28,400
darkness, area, type.
604
00:29:28,567 --> 00:29:31,467
People don't get killed
in parked cars very often.
605
00:29:31,634 --> 00:29:32,667
The odds are great
606
00:29:32,667 --> 00:29:35,567
this is the same person,
or persons,
607
00:29:35,734 --> 00:29:37,767
responsible for both.
608
00:29:37,767 --> 00:29:40,600
You've got a hunter,
somebody who's busy.
609
00:29:40,767 --> 00:29:41,767
A year later,
610
00:29:41,767 --> 00:29:43,500
the appetite returns.
611
00:29:44,567 --> 00:29:45,867
They haven't been arrested.
612
00:29:45,867 --> 00:29:47,667
They probably haven't
even been talked to.
613
00:29:47,834 --> 00:29:49,000
No, they haven't been found.
614
00:29:49,166 --> 00:29:50,600
So, now they become convinced
615
00:29:50,767 --> 00:29:52,166
that maybe
they're pretty clever.
616
00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:54,567
"Let me do this again,
617
00:29:54,734 --> 00:29:57,567
'cause, God,
it was good the first time."
618
00:29:57,567 --> 00:30:00,000
"But I'm not gonna do it
where I did it before."
619
00:30:00,166 --> 00:30:03,467
No, but still in
the general vicinity.
620
00:30:03,634 --> 00:30:04,867
They kill where
it's convenient.
621
00:30:04,867 --> 00:30:06,100
Places they know.
622
00:30:06,100 --> 00:30:08,600
And I would be very worried
that the bodies
623
00:30:08,767 --> 00:30:10,200
were gonna start
to pile up here.
624
00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:13,867
Four dead, and there's
gonna be more dead,
625
00:30:14,033 --> 00:30:15,600
if that theory is correct.
626
00:30:15,767 --> 00:30:17,300
He's going to do it again.
627
00:30:17,467 --> 00:30:19,900
He will continue
unless he is stopped.
628
00:30:25,100 --> 00:30:26,867
These murders came to be known
629
00:30:27,033 --> 00:30:28,900
as the Colonial
Parkway Murders.
630
00:30:29,066 --> 00:30:30,100
[reporter] Police
sources claim
631
00:30:30,100 --> 00:30:32,266
the two cases are so alike,
632
00:30:32,266 --> 00:30:34,600
the same persons
may be responsible.
633
00:30:35,967 --> 00:30:39,066
This story really picked up
from the very beginning.
634
00:30:39,233 --> 00:30:41,200
It was very much an East Coast
635
00:30:41,367 --> 00:30:42,567
highlighted story,
636
00:30:42,567 --> 00:30:46,166
'cause double murders
were incredibly rare.
637
00:30:46,333 --> 00:30:48,867
These young couples
are violently dead...
638
00:30:49,867 --> 00:30:52,266
in an otherwise
picturesque place.
639
00:30:52,433 --> 00:30:53,667
How could this be?
640
00:30:53,834 --> 00:30:54,900
Everyone was talking about
641
00:30:55,066 --> 00:30:57,000
whether this is the work
of a serial killer.
642
00:30:58,967 --> 00:31:00,367
[Blaine] Once the police
realized,
643
00:31:00,533 --> 00:31:02,967
"Oh, my God, we're dealing
with connected crimes,
644
00:31:03,133 --> 00:31:04,667
or potentially
connected crimes,"
645
00:31:04,834 --> 00:31:07,266
police presence on the Parkway
increased dramatically.
646
00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:08,767
[police siren chirps]
647
00:31:09,500 --> 00:31:11,266
[Bill] And that
was the first time
648
00:31:11,266 --> 00:31:13,000
we heard about the possibility
649
00:31:13,166 --> 00:31:14,867
of a serial killer,
650
00:31:14,867 --> 00:31:17,266
or a pattern emerging.
651
00:31:17,266 --> 00:31:18,667
And...
652
00:31:18,667 --> 00:31:21,367
I felt the investigation
began to shift.
653
00:31:21,533 --> 00:31:23,600
[Michael] It turned
this area upside down.
654
00:31:23,767 --> 00:31:25,066
I mean, people were scared
655
00:31:25,233 --> 00:31:26,500
to go up and down the Parkway,
656
00:31:26,667 --> 00:31:28,066
and my mom was...
657
00:31:28,867 --> 00:31:30,367
scared to death
when I went out.
658
00:31:30,533 --> 00:31:31,667
Scared to death.
659
00:31:32,567 --> 00:31:34,867
[Joe] Everyone
is very busy now,
660
00:31:34,867 --> 00:31:35,900
looking for people
661
00:31:36,066 --> 00:31:38,266
who seem to be
out of the area,
662
00:31:38,266 --> 00:31:41,166
seem to be doing something
that doesn't look right.
663
00:31:42,367 --> 00:31:44,367
[Danny] After the murders,
people realized
664
00:31:44,533 --> 00:31:46,900
they may be going
to the Colonial Parkway
665
00:31:47,066 --> 00:31:49,166
at their own risk,
but it didn't stop 'em.
666
00:31:50,667 --> 00:31:52,500
I'm sure the last thing
they thought of
667
00:31:52,667 --> 00:31:56,166
is that they would get
approached or grabbed
668
00:31:56,333 --> 00:31:57,867
on the Colonial Parkway.
669
00:31:57,867 --> 00:32:00,166
It scared a lot of people,
but, unfortunately,
670
00:32:00,166 --> 00:32:01,300
it didn't scare 'em all.
671
00:32:02,567 --> 00:32:05,100
[reporter] The families
held a vigil, a memorial,
672
00:32:05,100 --> 00:32:08,300
to remind us all
the killer is still out there.
673
00:32:10,767 --> 00:32:14,266
The pressure exerted
by the press and by the public
674
00:32:14,433 --> 00:32:16,500
results in the formation
675
00:32:16,667 --> 00:32:19,800
of a Colonial Parkway Murders
task force,
676
00:32:19,967 --> 00:32:22,200
where agencies come together.
677
00:32:22,367 --> 00:32:24,200
More heads
are better than one.
678
00:32:24,367 --> 00:32:26,066
Danny Plott was a trained
679
00:32:26,233 --> 00:32:28,266
and experienced
homicide agent.
680
00:32:28,433 --> 00:32:30,367
Plott became in command.
681
00:32:30,367 --> 00:32:32,367
We were given
a conference room
682
00:32:32,533 --> 00:32:33,767
and told to have at it.
683
00:32:38,367 --> 00:32:40,567
The common theory
at the time is that
684
00:32:40,567 --> 00:32:42,767
the perpetrator
is driving around
685
00:32:42,934 --> 00:32:46,000
the Colonial Parkway area,
looking for victims,
686
00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,500
parked in a car,
alone in the dark,
687
00:32:48,667 --> 00:32:50,600
in a lovers' lane
kind of area.
688
00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:56,266
[Danny] One thing we tried,
689
00:32:56,266 --> 00:32:58,767
we took a male agent
and a female agent,
690
00:32:58,934 --> 00:33:00,266
and we put them in cars.
691
00:33:01,867 --> 00:33:03,100
Different nights,
692
00:33:03,266 --> 00:33:04,266
different times,
693
00:33:04,433 --> 00:33:06,967
and waited to be approached.
694
00:33:09,367 --> 00:33:10,867
I worked some surveillance.
695
00:33:12,166 --> 00:33:13,500
I had a beard,
696
00:33:13,667 --> 00:33:15,367
I had actual hair.
697
00:33:16,300 --> 00:33:19,467
I was lucky enough
to know who I was with,
698
00:33:19,467 --> 00:33:21,500
but you run out of things
to talk about
699
00:33:21,667 --> 00:33:23,100
after a couple hours.
700
00:33:23,266 --> 00:33:26,900
Surveillance is cool
in the movies.
701
00:33:27,066 --> 00:33:29,567
It is far from it
in real life.
702
00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:41,200
We were approached.
703
00:33:46,266 --> 00:33:48,200
-Police!
-[gun cocking]
704
00:33:49,100 --> 00:33:50,600
But all we did was,
705
00:33:51,300 --> 00:33:53,200
I think, scare
the living daylights
706
00:33:53,367 --> 00:33:54,667
out of somebody that just
707
00:33:54,834 --> 00:33:57,000
was hoping they could
see naked flesh.
708
00:33:57,967 --> 00:34:00,100
Somebody that just
kinda hung around
709
00:34:00,100 --> 00:34:01,233
and tried to look in.
710
00:34:03,700 --> 00:34:06,700
Nobody wished any more
for an arrest
711
00:34:06,867 --> 00:34:09,266
than those of us that were
on that task force.
712
00:34:09,433 --> 00:34:11,500
Your killer is a shadow
in the night.
713
00:34:11,667 --> 00:34:14,166
You're pedaling a bike
that is stationary.
714
00:34:14,166 --> 00:34:17,500
And no matter
how hard you pedal,
715
00:34:17,667 --> 00:34:19,266
it goes nowhere.
716
00:34:21,100 --> 00:34:23,400
The task force
established tip lines.
717
00:34:23,567 --> 00:34:25,100
[telephones ringing]
718
00:34:27,066 --> 00:34:29,166
And you get hit
with tons of tips
719
00:34:29,166 --> 00:34:30,700
that are just crazy.
720
00:34:30,867 --> 00:34:32,667
Many people will
call in and report
721
00:34:32,834 --> 00:34:34,367
that little green men
from Mars
722
00:34:34,533 --> 00:34:35,667
are responsible for this.
723
00:34:35,667 --> 00:34:37,166
[telephone ringing]
724
00:34:42,900 --> 00:34:44,500
But every once in a while,
725
00:34:44,667 --> 00:34:47,166
somebody says something
that sounds reasonable.
726
00:34:47,166 --> 00:34:48,600
And you pay attention to that.
727
00:34:52,166 --> 00:34:54,467
There was a man
named Sammy Rieder
728
00:34:54,467 --> 00:34:57,200
that said he saw
Robin and David.
729
00:34:58,900 --> 00:35:01,066
Maybe here's a lead
we can work with.
730
00:35:01,233 --> 00:35:02,800
[reporter] Sam Rieder
was at Ragged Island,
731
00:35:02,967 --> 00:35:04,567
and remember seeing
David's truck.
732
00:35:04,734 --> 00:35:06,367
I just took one quick
look around.
733
00:35:06,533 --> 00:35:08,200
I flashed my headlights
back in the brush,
734
00:35:08,367 --> 00:35:09,667
but I couldn't see anything.
735
00:35:09,667 --> 00:35:12,300
He paints himself
as an eyewitness.
736
00:35:17,567 --> 00:35:19,800
They bring Sammy Rieder in,
they talk to him.
737
00:35:23,567 --> 00:35:25,066
So, Mr. Rieder says
738
00:35:25,233 --> 00:35:27,266
that he stops at Ragged Island
739
00:35:27,266 --> 00:35:29,100
on his way home from a date.
740
00:35:34,367 --> 00:35:35,767
He notices this truck.
741
00:35:38,100 --> 00:35:39,367
He said that he saw
742
00:35:39,533 --> 00:35:41,867
Robin and David
get out of the car.
743
00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:46,367
[Joe] He admires the truck.
Said it's very nice,
744
00:35:47,066 --> 00:35:48,500
very clean.
745
00:35:48,667 --> 00:35:50,266
[Danny] The truck was running,
746
00:35:50,433 --> 00:35:51,567
the radio was on.
747
00:35:53,367 --> 00:35:54,700
[music playing on radio]
748
00:35:54,867 --> 00:35:56,266
[Joe] So, he says
all these things,
749
00:35:56,433 --> 00:35:58,500
none of which
is earth-shattering,
750
00:35:58,667 --> 00:36:01,467
because it's what
the press reported.
751
00:36:01,634 --> 00:36:02,567
[Danny] Another
statement was...
752
00:36:02,567 --> 00:36:04,000
[gunshots]
753
00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:05,300
"I heard two shots.
754
00:36:05,467 --> 00:36:07,200
They had to be coming
from the marshland,
755
00:36:07,367 --> 00:36:08,467
way in the back.
756
00:36:09,367 --> 00:36:12,000
I decided it was time
to leave, and I left."
757
00:36:17,166 --> 00:36:18,367
There are several things wrong
758
00:36:18,367 --> 00:36:21,066
with Rieder's statement.
759
00:36:23,500 --> 00:36:25,767
[Blaine] There were actually
three shots fired that night.
760
00:36:25,767 --> 00:36:27,567
Two were fired
at David Knobling,
761
00:36:27,734 --> 00:36:28,900
and one at Robin.
762
00:36:28,900 --> 00:36:31,166
Sammy didn't mention anything
about them being barefoot,
763
00:36:31,333 --> 00:36:32,900
but their shoes
are in the car.
764
00:36:33,066 --> 00:36:35,367
The sand down there
is not smooth sand.
765
00:36:35,367 --> 00:36:37,700
It is made up with a lot
766
00:36:37,867 --> 00:36:39,867
of jagged shells, et cetera.
767
00:36:39,867 --> 00:36:41,800
[Joe] It is
extremely unlikely,
768
00:36:41,967 --> 00:36:44,000
not wearing shoes or socks,
769
00:36:44,166 --> 00:36:47,000
that they would walk
this far in rough terrain
770
00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:48,200
on their own accord.
771
00:36:48,367 --> 00:36:51,967
Somebody marched them down
772
00:36:52,133 --> 00:36:55,000
to the place where they died.
773
00:36:55,166 --> 00:36:56,266
They did not
get out of the car
774
00:36:56,433 --> 00:36:58,000
and go strolling down there.
775
00:36:59,667 --> 00:37:01,266
[Joe] He is
inserting himself
776
00:37:01,433 --> 00:37:02,967
in a serial killer
investigation.
777
00:37:03,133 --> 00:37:04,200
Now, why would he do that?
778
00:37:10,266 --> 00:37:13,066
[Danny] When Mr. Rieder
was pressed,
779
00:37:13,233 --> 00:37:15,667
he finally admitted,
780
00:37:15,667 --> 00:37:19,266
"Well, I took money out
of David Knobling's wallet."
781
00:37:25,700 --> 00:37:27,400
I don't know if he figured
782
00:37:27,567 --> 00:37:29,166
if he came up with this tip,
783
00:37:29,166 --> 00:37:31,967
and they found his prints
somewhere on the truck,
784
00:37:32,133 --> 00:37:33,100
he would be able to say,
785
00:37:33,100 --> 00:37:34,700
"Well, I was just looking in."
786
00:37:34,867 --> 00:37:37,367
Well, I think he did it out
of trying to cover his ass.
787
00:37:37,367 --> 00:37:39,667
[Joe] What he saw
was a wallet,
788
00:37:39,667 --> 00:37:41,200
and he took advantage of it.
789
00:37:41,367 --> 00:37:42,333
Oh, Sammy,
790
00:37:42,500 --> 00:37:44,166
why are you wasting
our time with this?
791
00:37:44,333 --> 00:37:47,200
He didn't kill two people.
He didn't know who did.
792
00:37:49,667 --> 00:37:51,800
Law enforcement
were very frustrated
793
00:37:51,967 --> 00:37:52,767
with the investigation.
794
00:37:53,667 --> 00:37:54,800
They weren't solving the case.
795
00:37:54,967 --> 00:37:55,900
People were fearful.
796
00:37:56,066 --> 00:37:57,367
I've noticed
that a lot of girls
797
00:37:57,367 --> 00:37:59,100
aren't walking on campus
by themselves,
798
00:37:59,100 --> 00:37:59,967
especially late at night.
799
00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:03,000
Obviously, we have to,
uh, consider
800
00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:05,600
that there's a dangerous
person, or persons,
801
00:38:05,767 --> 00:38:07,100
still in the community.
802
00:38:09,500 --> 00:38:11,500
[Danny] We needed
this task force
803
00:38:11,667 --> 00:38:13,000
to try to,
804
00:38:13,166 --> 00:38:15,500
if not tie these
murders together,
805
00:38:15,667 --> 00:38:17,200
find common denominators,
806
00:38:17,367 --> 00:38:18,767
or separate them.
807
00:38:19,467 --> 00:38:21,200
[telephone ringing]
808
00:38:21,367 --> 00:38:23,667
Plott is experienced
and he's smart.
809
00:38:24,900 --> 00:38:26,567
He sees the rivers,
810
00:38:26,567 --> 00:38:28,900
and he said,
"Hey, look at this map.
811
00:38:29,066 --> 00:38:31,900
What is around all
of these crime scenes?
812
00:38:32,066 --> 00:38:33,367
Water."
813
00:38:33,533 --> 00:38:34,667
How do you move in water?
814
00:38:34,667 --> 00:38:36,567
You move in water in a boat.
815
00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:43,700
The thing I remember
about the autopsies
816
00:38:43,867 --> 00:38:46,467
of Cathleen and Rebecca
817
00:38:46,634 --> 00:38:48,600
was this rope that was found.
818
00:38:48,767 --> 00:38:51,100
It was a piece
of nautical rope,
819
00:38:52,266 --> 00:38:55,066
which, to me, nautical rope
is either used
820
00:38:55,233 --> 00:38:56,200
on a boat,
821
00:38:56,367 --> 00:38:58,100
or used to tie up a boat.
822
00:39:00,367 --> 00:39:03,667
Now, that is
an interesting fact.
823
00:39:03,834 --> 00:39:06,266
What if our man is a boater?
824
00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:12,467
Maybe we've been
thinking about this
825
00:39:12,634 --> 00:39:14,367
wrong the entire time.
826
00:39:14,533 --> 00:39:16,400
How did he approach
these people?
827
00:39:16,567 --> 00:39:18,967
If he used the boat
in some way,
828
00:39:19,133 --> 00:39:22,166
I think he had to anchor
the boat on the river,
829
00:39:22,166 --> 00:39:24,967
and use a smaller boat
to come to the bank.
830
00:39:25,133 --> 00:39:27,867
We've got a trolling motor.
It makes literally no sound.
831
00:39:28,033 --> 00:39:30,367
So, you can maneuver
around in this water
832
00:39:30,533 --> 00:39:32,000
and nobody even
knows you're there.
833
00:39:32,166 --> 00:39:33,767
You have no obligation,
legally,
834
00:39:33,767 --> 00:39:36,166
to put lights on your boat.
You're not at sea.
835
00:39:36,333 --> 00:39:37,767
You're in inland waterways,
836
00:39:37,934 --> 00:39:39,066
no one's gonna question you.
837
00:39:39,233 --> 00:39:40,700
-You're a waterman.
-Right.
838
00:39:44,200 --> 00:39:47,467
The word "waterman" is
very specific to this area.
839
00:39:48,767 --> 00:39:51,767
It's people who are involved
in the oyster business
840
00:39:51,934 --> 00:39:53,767
and the fishing business,
in the York River,
841
00:39:53,934 --> 00:39:56,166
in the James River,
in the Rappahannock River.
842
00:39:58,467 --> 00:39:59,667
They have their own dialect,
843
00:39:59,667 --> 00:40:01,000
they have their own language.
844
00:40:01,166 --> 00:40:02,867
Generationally,
all the way back
845
00:40:02,867 --> 00:40:04,266
to the colonial period.
846
00:40:05,500 --> 00:40:06,867
This could be a waterman.
847
00:40:07,033 --> 00:40:10,100
That's someone we need
to concentrate on.
848
00:40:10,266 --> 00:40:11,400
So, what else do we know?
849
00:40:11,567 --> 00:40:14,500
The toys used in these crimes
850
00:40:14,667 --> 00:40:17,266
are the toys that
watermen use as tools.
851
00:40:22,867 --> 00:40:24,667
Most of these boats
have diesel motors.
852
00:40:26,567 --> 00:40:27,667
[motor whirring]
853
00:40:29,100 --> 00:40:32,300
Diesel was used in Rebecca
and Cathleen's murder.
854
00:40:33,266 --> 00:40:36,100
Whoever killed them
brought diesel fuel
855
00:40:36,100 --> 00:40:37,300
with them to the scene.
856
00:40:38,700 --> 00:40:40,367
We have an extremely sharp
857
00:40:40,533 --> 00:40:42,100
instrument that cuts
their throats.
858
00:40:45,367 --> 00:40:47,467
Fishermen take care
of their knives.
859
00:40:47,467 --> 00:40:49,500
-Part of their living.
-Part of their living.
860
00:40:49,667 --> 00:40:51,100
Sharp as a razor.
861
00:40:51,100 --> 00:40:53,967
You can filet a fish
in a heartbeat.
862
00:40:54,900 --> 00:40:57,767
This all became known
as the waterman theory.
863
00:40:59,900 --> 00:41:02,467
[Joe] Danny Plott
and other cops
he brought with him
864
00:41:02,467 --> 00:41:04,467
to survey
the fishermen in the area.
865
00:41:05,266 --> 00:41:07,567
These are an unusual lot.
866
00:41:07,567 --> 00:41:10,100
They operate in private.
They're loners.
867
00:41:10,100 --> 00:41:13,800
They are tough as oak.
868
00:41:13,967 --> 00:41:15,967
They did not take kindly
869
00:41:16,133 --> 00:41:18,700
to being, you know,
even interviewed.
870
00:41:18,867 --> 00:41:20,200
They picked a lifestyle
871
00:41:20,367 --> 00:41:22,667
that they don't want
to interact with people.
872
00:41:22,834 --> 00:41:24,467
And for strait-laced FBI guys
873
00:41:24,467 --> 00:41:26,367
to walk into
a waterman bar and say,
874
00:41:26,367 --> 00:41:28,000
"Hey, we want to ask
some questions."
875
00:41:28,166 --> 00:41:31,000
They're not going to get
any progress from that.
876
00:41:31,166 --> 00:41:33,467
At this point,
it's an all hands on deck
877
00:41:33,467 --> 00:41:34,767
sort of investigation.
878
00:41:34,934 --> 00:41:36,033
But as it turns out,
879
00:41:36,200 --> 00:41:40,266
shortly they will discover
even that is not enough.
880
00:41:45,467 --> 00:41:46,867
[telephone ringing]
881
00:41:47,033 --> 00:41:48,166
[typing]
882
00:41:50,266 --> 00:41:51,367
[imperceptible]
883
00:41:51,367 --> 00:41:53,567
[Joe] The park police
have informed Danny Plott
884
00:41:53,734 --> 00:41:56,667
they have found
yet another abandoned vehicle
885
00:41:57,200 --> 00:41:58,867
on the Colonial Parkway.
886
00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:01,767
The keys are in the ignition,
887
00:42:01,767 --> 00:42:05,000
the car is running
and nobody's around,
888
00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:07,867
and Plott's heart
is in his throat.
889
00:42:12,500 --> 00:42:15,300
They're going, "Oh, shit!
Here we go again."
890
00:42:17,767 --> 00:42:19,900
The Colonial Parkway
serial killer
891
00:42:20,066 --> 00:42:21,266
is back in business.
892
00:42:22,467 --> 00:42:24,400
[sirens wailing]
893
00:42:24,567 --> 00:42:26,567
[indistinct radio chatter]
894
00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:32,767
[Joe] Danny Plott
is very concerned.
895
00:42:32,767 --> 00:42:35,166
Where are the people
from this car?
896
00:42:36,567 --> 00:42:39,266
[indistinct radio chatter]
897
00:42:40,667 --> 00:42:42,000
[imperceptible]
898
00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:46,266
This has a lot of similarities
to the other murders.
899
00:42:47,266 --> 00:42:48,867
[Andy] Lovers' lanes,
900
00:42:50,266 --> 00:42:51,467
near water,
901
00:42:52,767 --> 00:42:55,066
only one mile
902
00:42:55,233 --> 00:42:57,867
from the Thomas-Dowski
crime scene.
903
00:42:59,000 --> 00:43:01,567
One mile. Are you kidding me?
904
00:43:03,767 --> 00:43:05,467
The Park Rangers
informed Plott
905
00:43:05,634 --> 00:43:07,767
that they ran
a registration check
on the vehicle
906
00:43:07,767 --> 00:43:10,200
and determined
it's owned by Keith Call.
907
00:43:11,667 --> 00:43:13,867
They contact Call's parents.
908
00:43:15,967 --> 00:43:19,066
They report him missing
that morning.
909
00:43:21,500 --> 00:43:26,300
The parents say
he was with a female
named Cassandra Hailey.
910
00:43:28,767 --> 00:43:32,467
And Cassandra Hailey's parents
also report her missing.
911
00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:37,667
Where are they?
912
00:43:39,467 --> 00:43:41,767
[male reporter] Some
of their clothes
and the car keys
913
00:43:41,767 --> 00:43:43,600
found inside the car.
914
00:43:43,767 --> 00:43:46,000
[female reporter] A Navy
security team looks
through the woods.
915
00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:47,967
Park Rangers use
a Bloodhound and a boat
916
00:43:48,133 --> 00:43:49,667
for air scent over the water.
917
00:43:49,667 --> 00:43:51,467
Other dogs combed
the beachfront area.
918
00:43:53,166 --> 00:43:56,367
[male reporter] A dog traced
the couple's scent
to the water's edge.
919
00:43:56,367 --> 00:43:58,100
And then the scent ends.
920
00:43:59,867 --> 00:44:01,700
[Joe] The dogs
are telling them
921
00:44:01,867 --> 00:44:03,600
those bodies
are in this water.
922
00:44:04,266 --> 00:44:06,000
But they're not there now
923
00:44:06,166 --> 00:44:09,100
because water moves
and it moves bodies with it.
924
00:44:10,700 --> 00:44:13,166
[Danny] I searched the Parkway
925
00:44:13,166 --> 00:44:16,300
in a company
of United States Marines,
926
00:44:16,467 --> 00:44:18,600
who walked an arm length
away from each other
927
00:44:18,767 --> 00:44:22,700
across the whole area,
near where that car was found.
928
00:44:25,166 --> 00:44:27,166
The search dogs
take the scent,
929
00:44:27,333 --> 00:44:30,266
and they march directly
to the York River.
930
00:44:30,266 --> 00:44:33,667
And that night the nor'easter
had been passing through.
931
00:44:33,667 --> 00:44:36,867
-Right. High waves.
-High current.
932
00:44:36,867 --> 00:44:40,567
Sixty, 70 mile-an-hour winds
and driving rain.
933
00:44:40,567 --> 00:44:42,166
So, they are disposed of,
934
00:44:42,333 --> 00:44:44,166
killed by
some method or means.
935
00:44:44,333 --> 00:44:46,000
They go in the York River,
936
00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:47,467
the nor'easter comes,
937
00:44:48,066 --> 00:44:49,367
and sweeps somewhere
938
00:44:50,166 --> 00:44:51,767
out to sea,
939
00:44:51,767 --> 00:44:53,467
maybe all the way out.
940
00:44:55,066 --> 00:44:56,166
[squawking]
941
00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:01,900
Wouldn't take much.
942
00:45:02,066 --> 00:45:04,667
And these two poor,
unfortunate young people
943
00:45:05,400 --> 00:45:06,600
are never found.
944
00:45:06,767 --> 00:45:08,266
Not a trace of them.
945
00:45:08,266 --> 00:45:11,567
The families
couldn't even have a funeral.
946
00:45:13,300 --> 00:45:17,100
♪ Amazing grace ♪
947
00:45:17,700 --> 00:45:21,867
♪ How sweet the sound ♪
948
00:45:21,867 --> 00:45:24,467
[Doug] I didn't want to think
the worst to start with.
949
00:45:24,467 --> 00:45:27,867
All of a sudden, you know,
there's all these police
calling the house.
950
00:45:27,867 --> 00:45:29,767
And then, as the day went on,
951
00:45:29,767 --> 00:45:32,600
you just kind of came
into that reality
952
00:45:32,767 --> 00:45:34,867
that something had happened.
953
00:45:36,800 --> 00:45:38,867
Keith just vanished
into thin air.
954
00:45:40,967 --> 00:45:43,767
[Joyce] Keith was really just
a good-hearted kid,
955
00:45:43,767 --> 00:45:45,100
and you just don't ever think
956
00:45:45,100 --> 00:45:46,800
that when somebody
walks out of the door,
957
00:45:46,967 --> 00:45:48,300
it's going to be
the last time you see 'em.
958
00:45:49,900 --> 00:45:51,767
[Doug] He was into computers,
you know.
959
00:45:51,767 --> 00:45:53,000
We had some of the first.
960
00:45:53,166 --> 00:45:55,667
He was in there
banging away
on his Commodore 64
961
00:45:55,834 --> 00:45:57,100
and learning
everything about that.
962
00:45:57,266 --> 00:45:59,066
And he was just
like that '80s guy.
963
00:45:59,233 --> 00:46:00,767
In 1988, when this happened,
964
00:46:00,767 --> 00:46:02,867
he was in his first
semester of college.
965
00:46:03,400 --> 00:46:05,266
And then with Cassandra,
966
00:46:06,367 --> 00:46:07,567
they were friends.
967
00:46:07,734 --> 00:46:09,567
And she was really
a pretty girl.
968
00:46:10,700 --> 00:46:13,667
Cassandra was the "it" girl.
969
00:46:13,667 --> 00:46:14,800
I mean, she was a cheerleader.
970
00:46:14,967 --> 00:46:17,367
She's got
a magnetism about her.
971
00:46:17,533 --> 00:46:19,300
She was very bright.
972
00:46:19,467 --> 00:46:23,166
She was really looking forward
to completing her education
973
00:46:23,166 --> 00:46:25,200
and going on with her career.
974
00:46:27,667 --> 00:46:29,767
They went out
that night to a movie,
975
00:46:29,767 --> 00:46:31,000
and then they decided
976
00:46:31,000 --> 00:46:34,166
to stop by some
kind of college party
going on there.
977
00:46:34,166 --> 00:46:36,166
[male reporter] Friends
confirmed Keith and Sandra
978
00:46:36,166 --> 00:46:39,200
partied at
the University Square
Apartments, April 10th.
979
00:46:39,367 --> 00:46:40,867
They left around 2:00 a.m.
980
00:46:41,033 --> 00:46:43,000
Then disappeared.
981
00:46:45,000 --> 00:46:47,700
[Danny] And then Cassandra
had to be home
at a certain time.
982
00:46:47,867 --> 00:46:49,166
They said their goodbyes,
983
00:46:49,333 --> 00:46:51,400
and that's the last time
anybody saw them.
984
00:46:53,700 --> 00:46:56,800
The Parkway was not a place
that you went like that,
985
00:46:56,967 --> 00:46:58,500
and just left your car there.
986
00:46:58,667 --> 00:47:00,567
Keith was more
responsible than that.
987
00:47:00,567 --> 00:47:02,467
The other murders
had already happened,
988
00:47:02,634 --> 00:47:03,867
Keith wouldn't
have went there.
989
00:47:04,033 --> 00:47:05,367
It always haunted me,
990
00:47:05,367 --> 00:47:07,100
and it haunts me to this day,
991
00:47:07,266 --> 00:47:10,800
that we did not find Keith
and Cassandra's remains.
992
00:47:12,900 --> 00:47:15,567
We have to find
the murdering son of a bitch
who did this.
993
00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:19,367
[Joe] They finally decide,
"All right,
994
00:47:19,367 --> 00:47:21,600
let's go back and start over."
995
00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:26,166
[Danny] About six months
into the FBI task force
996
00:47:26,333 --> 00:47:28,300
of the Colonial Parkway
murders,
997
00:47:29,266 --> 00:47:32,266
we had come
to a couple of conclusions.
998
00:47:32,967 --> 00:47:35,200
Looking at all the scenes,
999
00:47:35,900 --> 00:47:38,667
the vehicles, the wallets out,
1000
00:47:38,834 --> 00:47:41,367
we decided
who we were looking for
1001
00:47:41,533 --> 00:47:43,100
was a person of authority.
1002
00:47:46,467 --> 00:47:49,000
So imagine now
it's nighttime here.
1003
00:47:50,667 --> 00:47:52,867
You're with somebody
you care about.
1004
00:47:53,033 --> 00:47:55,166
You're not really
thinking about anything.
1005
00:47:55,166 --> 00:47:56,967
And then suddenly...
1006
00:47:57,133 --> 00:47:58,166
[knocking at window]
1007
00:47:58,166 --> 00:48:00,200
[Danny] There's a knock
on your window,
1008
00:48:00,367 --> 00:48:01,767
and a man
with a flashlight says,
1009
00:48:01,767 --> 00:48:02,767
"What are you doing here?
1010
00:48:03,467 --> 00:48:04,900
You're not
supposed to be here."
1011
00:48:06,567 --> 00:48:09,867
[Joe] What if this killer
poses as a policeman?
1012
00:48:11,266 --> 00:48:13,700
In the process of somebody
getting out their ID,
1013
00:48:14,467 --> 00:48:16,500
he pulls a gun.
1014
00:48:16,667 --> 00:48:20,200
So he now has control.
Could that be?
1015
00:48:20,867 --> 00:48:22,100
Of course it could.
1016
00:48:23,600 --> 00:48:26,266
[Blaine] During this era
you could buy an old cop car,
1017
00:48:26,433 --> 00:48:28,467
complete with
a sidelight et cetera,
1018
00:48:28,467 --> 00:48:31,300
for 300 bucks
at a police auction,
1019
00:48:31,467 --> 00:48:33,667
and duplicate being a cop.
1020
00:48:37,500 --> 00:48:40,000
We decided to hold
a press conference
1021
00:48:40,166 --> 00:48:41,800
with the FBI's blessing,
1022
00:48:41,967 --> 00:48:43,367
and it exploded.
1023
00:48:44,700 --> 00:48:45,533
[Blaine] It reached the point
1024
00:48:45,533 --> 00:48:48,467
where even
in the newspaper articles,
1025
00:48:48,634 --> 00:48:50,667
they were warning people
to verify
1026
00:48:50,834 --> 00:48:52,367
if they were being
pulled over,
1027
00:48:52,367 --> 00:48:55,166
that it was really
a policeman.
1028
00:48:55,333 --> 00:48:58,000
[Danny] The media took it
and ran with it
1029
00:48:58,166 --> 00:48:59,800
because it made a good story.
1030
00:49:00,800 --> 00:49:02,600
[Joe] Nothing about this
seems to work,
1031
00:49:02,767 --> 00:49:04,367
and then you begin
to convince yourself
1032
00:49:04,533 --> 00:49:06,467
that nothing will ever work.
1033
00:49:06,634 --> 00:49:09,500
Law enforcement are running
out of room at the morgue.
1034
00:49:09,667 --> 00:49:11,767
This is one serious guy.
1035
00:49:12,367 --> 00:49:13,467
He's not gonna stop.
1036
00:49:20,467 --> 00:49:22,667
As cases go on for years,
1037
00:49:22,834 --> 00:49:24,867
they become more difficult.
1038
00:49:25,033 --> 00:49:27,266
The Colonial Parkway murders
have slowed down.
1039
00:49:29,667 --> 00:49:31,367
Nothing much
has been happening.
1040
00:49:31,367 --> 00:49:33,400
No news, no new events.
1041
00:49:33,567 --> 00:49:34,700
[telephone ringing]
1042
00:49:34,867 --> 00:49:37,166
An anonymous tipster
calls the task force
1043
00:49:37,333 --> 00:49:40,867
and says an individual
has been harassing couples
1044
00:49:42,567 --> 00:49:46,400
in the lovers' lane pull offs
on the Colonial Parkway.
1045
00:49:46,567 --> 00:49:48,066
They called him a Peeping Tom.
1046
00:49:49,000 --> 00:49:49,967
Really?
1047
00:49:50,133 --> 00:49:52,567
Now that is interesting.
1048
00:49:52,567 --> 00:49:55,767
Who might you be,
Mr. Peeping Tom?
1049
00:49:55,767 --> 00:49:58,567
And what are you doing
on the Parkway?
1050
00:50:03,867 --> 00:50:05,767
[squawking]
1051
00:50:05,767 --> 00:50:08,300
Through a FBI
or state police tip line,
1052
00:50:08,467 --> 00:50:10,767
we get a tip
that a man in a blue truck
1053
00:50:10,767 --> 00:50:13,867
is stopping
and looking in parked cars
1054
00:50:13,867 --> 00:50:15,100
on the Parkway.
1055
00:50:16,500 --> 00:50:17,767
They get a tag.
1056
00:50:18,266 --> 00:50:22,600
The tag reads EM-RAW.
1057
00:50:23,166 --> 00:50:24,367
"Eat 'em raw."
1058
00:50:25,000 --> 00:50:26,100
What do you eat raw?
1059
00:50:26,467 --> 00:50:27,700
[both] Oysters.
1060
00:50:30,100 --> 00:50:31,867
[Joe] Hmm.
1061
00:50:31,867 --> 00:50:35,567
[Danny] That truck
comes back to a waterman
1062
00:50:36,266 --> 00:50:38,567
named Alan Wilmer.
1063
00:50:39,700 --> 00:50:43,367
So now, the FBI has somebody
that they can look at.
1064
00:50:44,100 --> 00:50:45,166
[Joe] This could be him.
1065
00:50:46,100 --> 00:50:48,867
This could be
the Colonial Parkway killer.
1066
00:50:49,033 --> 00:50:51,166
And they need to act fast.
1067
00:50:53,400 --> 00:50:56,867
[Danny] The FBI
and the Virginia State Police
1068
00:50:56,867 --> 00:51:00,166
now have what appears
to be a viable suspect.
1069
00:51:01,300 --> 00:51:03,900
The FBI surveils him.
1070
00:51:04,066 --> 00:51:05,667
Goes to his residence,
1071
00:51:05,834 --> 00:51:09,100
where they find him
cleaning his truck.
1072
00:51:10,066 --> 00:51:11,900
[Blaine] They noticed
Wilmer was out
1073
00:51:12,066 --> 00:51:14,467
spray painting
the back of his vehicle
1074
00:51:14,467 --> 00:51:18,166
and that he was bleaching
the interior of the vehicle.
1075
00:51:18,967 --> 00:51:20,200
Now, why would he do that?
1076
00:51:20,867 --> 00:51:22,467
Is he concealing evidence?
1077
00:51:26,367 --> 00:51:28,367
Maybe this is our guy.
1078
00:51:30,400 --> 00:51:32,200
They immediately go
to get a search warrant.
1079
00:51:34,300 --> 00:51:37,400
[Joe] The FBI returned
to Wilmer's place.
1080
00:51:38,300 --> 00:51:40,000
They present him
with the warrant.
1081
00:51:40,166 --> 00:51:41,467
He is cooperative.
1082
00:51:41,467 --> 00:51:44,734
He steps aside,
and they search the premise.
1083
00:51:47,166 --> 00:51:49,567
They do the search warrant
of his truck.
1084
00:51:50,767 --> 00:51:52,200
Doesn't reveal a whole lot,
1085
00:51:52,367 --> 00:51:55,500
but the search of his house
1086
00:51:55,667 --> 00:51:59,000
reveals... several things.
1087
00:52:00,100 --> 00:52:03,300
[Joe] They find an enormous
supply of pornography.
1088
00:52:03,467 --> 00:52:04,867
They find guns,
1089
00:52:05,567 --> 00:52:07,767
they find pairs of handcuffs
1090
00:52:07,767 --> 00:52:09,467
and other bondage devices.
1091
00:52:11,166 --> 00:52:14,667
I am not saying that makes you
someone that kills people,
1092
00:52:14,834 --> 00:52:17,500
but you put
everything together,
1093
00:52:17,667 --> 00:52:19,200
this is not your average guy.
1094
00:52:20,367 --> 00:52:22,000
[Joe] They continue
to talk to him.
1095
00:52:22,166 --> 00:52:24,166
He denies any knowledge
of any of this.
1096
00:52:24,767 --> 00:52:26,133
Denies everything.
1097
00:52:27,200 --> 00:52:30,800
They have no evidence
that could result
in an arrest.
1098
00:52:30,967 --> 00:52:35,166
They decide that they
will have an FBI polygraphist
1099
00:52:35,166 --> 00:52:36,800
take a shot at this guy.
1100
00:52:42,266 --> 00:52:44,266
[Danny] Mr. Wilmer
was interviewed,
1101
00:52:44,266 --> 00:52:46,166
and he did admit
to being on the Parkway
1102
00:52:46,333 --> 00:52:49,100
and approaching
a vehicle or two.
1103
00:52:50,100 --> 00:52:52,500
[Blaine] Which was
very useful information.
1104
00:52:52,667 --> 00:52:54,967
But his story changed
a little bit.
1105
00:52:55,967 --> 00:52:58,567
He said, "Yeah, I was on
the Colonial Parkway,
1106
00:52:58,734 --> 00:53:00,800
but I wasn't in that
particular pull off.
1107
00:53:00,967 --> 00:53:01,867
I was in another one.
1108
00:53:03,000 --> 00:53:04,767
I walk around out there
1109
00:53:04,934 --> 00:53:06,567
and I look for places to fish,
1110
00:53:07,066 --> 00:53:08,033
nothing wrong with that."
1111
00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:09,767
And there isn't
anything wrong with that.
1112
00:53:10,300 --> 00:53:11,967
So he takes the polygraph.
1113
00:53:13,266 --> 00:53:15,767
And the polygrapher says,
"He didn't do this.
1114
00:53:19,567 --> 00:53:21,367
He's innocent."
1115
00:53:21,367 --> 00:53:24,800
And the FBI looks
at that polygraph
and then says,
1116
00:53:24,967 --> 00:53:26,567
"Well, you [bleep]
better be right."
1117
00:53:28,266 --> 00:53:32,367
The FBI decided
that him passing a polygraph
1118
00:53:32,367 --> 00:53:35,600
and the lack
of direct physical evidence
1119
00:53:36,100 --> 00:53:38,000
was enough to say,
1120
00:53:38,166 --> 00:53:39,200
"He's not the one."
1121
00:53:40,166 --> 00:53:41,667
[Joe] He looks good,
nothing happens.
1122
00:53:41,667 --> 00:53:43,800
He moves on,
and so does the task force.
1123
00:53:47,667 --> 00:53:49,266
[Danny] FBI and state police,
1124
00:53:49,433 --> 00:53:51,300
if one of us got a lead,
1125
00:53:51,467 --> 00:53:53,800
you know, we'd let
the other one know.
1126
00:53:53,967 --> 00:53:56,767
But the leads,
they just weren't there.
1127
00:53:56,934 --> 00:53:58,000
And, you know,
1128
00:53:58,000 --> 00:53:59,667
uh, family member...
1129
00:53:59,667 --> 00:54:02,000
They weren't shy,
and I don't blame them.
1130
00:54:02,000 --> 00:54:04,166
And they sometimes
1131
00:54:04,333 --> 00:54:06,467
weren't shy
in the media, you know.
1132
00:54:07,266 --> 00:54:08,667
"My son, daughter...
1133
00:54:09,667 --> 00:54:11,100
Sister, brother...
1134
00:54:11,266 --> 00:54:14,100
Brutally murdered.
What are you doing?"
1135
00:54:14,100 --> 00:54:16,166
[Doug] You didn't hear
nothing about it,
the FBI didn't.
1136
00:54:16,700 --> 00:54:18,166
Didn't talk to anybody.
1137
00:54:18,333 --> 00:54:19,367
And then Joyce
1138
00:54:19,533 --> 00:54:21,467
would consistently
pick up the phone
1139
00:54:21,467 --> 00:54:22,600
and call them up
1140
00:54:22,767 --> 00:54:24,266
and ask them
about the case and all that.
1141
00:54:25,467 --> 00:54:26,600
[Joyce] It seemed
like... sighs]
1142
00:54:26,767 --> 00:54:28,700
...they weren't giving us
a lot of information.
1143
00:54:28,867 --> 00:54:30,567
It just kind of went dead.
1144
00:54:30,567 --> 00:54:32,400
And I didn't handle it
very good at all.
1145
00:54:32,567 --> 00:54:33,667
And even to this day,
1146
00:54:33,834 --> 00:54:36,300
that is the worst thing
that's ever happened.
1147
00:54:37,700 --> 00:54:40,000
It's just like
somebody walks out the door
1148
00:54:40,000 --> 00:54:41,200
and they're fine,
1149
00:54:41,200 --> 00:54:44,166
and they just don't come back
and you don't have answers.
1150
00:54:44,700 --> 00:54:46,467
You don't have a body.
1151
00:54:46,467 --> 00:54:49,166
The anxiety was terrible
at that time.
1152
00:54:49,333 --> 00:54:51,867
You know, it's just
not knowing
what happened to him.
1153
00:54:52,367 --> 00:54:53,867
Just nothing but anxiety.
1154
00:54:53,867 --> 00:54:56,100
It just doesn't go away,
you know.
1155
00:54:56,867 --> 00:54:59,667
You have to become
your own advocate
1156
00:54:59,834 --> 00:55:01,767
because no one else
will do it for you.
1157
00:55:01,934 --> 00:55:03,100
We're the ones now
1158
00:55:03,100 --> 00:55:05,500
kind of trying
to advance this case.
1159
00:55:06,500 --> 00:55:07,867
I'm looking for answers.
1160
00:55:07,867 --> 00:55:11,500
Who killed my younger sister
and her girlfriend?
1161
00:55:11,667 --> 00:55:13,467
All of these other families,
1162
00:55:13,467 --> 00:55:15,367
mine included,
deserve answers.
1163
00:55:17,400 --> 00:55:19,200
All our answer was,
1164
00:55:19,367 --> 00:55:21,200
"We're doing
everything we can."
1165
00:55:21,367 --> 00:55:23,300
It had been years.
1166
00:55:23,700 --> 00:55:25,133
Nothing.
1167
00:55:27,600 --> 00:55:29,266
[siren wails]
1168
00:55:29,767 --> 00:55:32,166
Labor Day weekend, 1989,
1169
00:55:32,166 --> 00:55:34,667
and a Virginia state trooper
is investigating
1170
00:55:34,667 --> 00:55:37,266
an abandoned vehicle
in a rest area
1171
00:55:37,266 --> 00:55:39,800
that's left running
with the keys in the ignition.
1172
00:55:40,700 --> 00:55:42,800
And when he ran the tag,
of course,
1173
00:55:42,967 --> 00:55:44,700
ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.
1174
00:55:44,867 --> 00:55:48,100
This is the car
of a missing person.
1175
00:55:48,100 --> 00:55:51,800
The car comes back
to 21-year-old Daniel Lauer
1176
00:55:51,967 --> 00:55:55,767
reported missing
with 18-year-old
Annamaria Phelps.
1177
00:55:57,100 --> 00:55:59,767
The Colonial Parkway killer
is back.
1178
00:56:00,667 --> 00:56:04,400
And maybe this time
he's left the waterfront.
1179
00:56:09,000 --> 00:56:11,300
[Joe] The investigators
are instantly suspicious
1180
00:56:11,467 --> 00:56:13,600
that this is
the Colonial Parkway killer.
1181
00:56:15,166 --> 00:56:16,367
But what's different?
1182
00:56:16,367 --> 00:56:18,100
[female reporter speaking]
1183
00:56:20,567 --> 00:56:22,800
They call it
the New Kent rest area.
1184
00:56:24,767 --> 00:56:25,734
[Joe] This rest area
1185
00:56:25,734 --> 00:56:28,867
is many miles
from the Colonial Parkway.
1186
00:56:29,033 --> 00:56:31,166
This is inland,
not the waterfront,
1187
00:56:31,166 --> 00:56:32,800
where he has been for years.
1188
00:56:33,967 --> 00:56:36,800
[Danny] So I went up there
and I found the car.
1189
00:56:36,967 --> 00:56:40,166
A gold Chevy Nova
with black primer.
1190
00:56:41,166 --> 00:56:42,467
[Joe] He sees this car,
1191
00:56:43,367 --> 00:56:45,166
clothes in the back seat,
1192
00:56:46,000 --> 00:56:47,867
the key is in the ignition,
1193
00:56:48,300 --> 00:56:49,867
car running.
1194
00:56:49,867 --> 00:56:52,567
It is no question
it is deja vu.
1195
00:56:53,266 --> 00:56:55,266
We're dealing
with the same guy.
1196
00:57:00,367 --> 00:57:04,967
Annamaria Phelps
was an 18-year-old
young lady
1197
00:57:05,133 --> 00:57:06,967
from Amelia County, Virginia,
1198
00:57:07,133 --> 00:57:10,667
who had recently
dropped out of school.
1199
00:57:10,834 --> 00:57:13,266
[Blaine] School
wasn't for her.
She wanted to work.
1200
00:57:13,266 --> 00:57:14,967
She wanted
to get ahead in life.
1201
00:57:15,133 --> 00:57:16,700
She wanted to be on her own,
1202
00:57:16,867 --> 00:57:20,700
and she had a boyfriend
named Clinton Lauer.
1203
00:57:20,867 --> 00:57:22,667
The other victim,
Daniel Lauer,
1204
00:57:23,166 --> 00:57:24,867
was her boyfriend's brother.
1205
00:57:25,033 --> 00:57:27,200
[Blaine] Daniel,
he was a horse lover.
1206
00:57:27,367 --> 00:57:28,500
He liked riding.
1207
00:57:28,667 --> 00:57:30,667
He was six foot tall.
1208
00:57:30,834 --> 00:57:32,767
He was a dominating force.
1209
00:57:32,934 --> 00:57:36,467
Anybody that handles horses.
He wasn't a weakling either.
1210
00:57:37,266 --> 00:57:39,367
Daniel was doing very well.
1211
00:57:39,367 --> 00:57:42,000
His father
had a painting business,
and he worked there.
1212
00:57:42,000 --> 00:57:44,867
His father had gotten him
a Chevy Nova.
1213
00:57:44,867 --> 00:57:46,033
In many respects,
1214
00:57:46,200 --> 00:57:50,100
he was on the right path
for independence himself.
1215
00:57:50,800 --> 00:57:52,700
And Daniel had decided
1216
00:57:52,867 --> 00:57:55,567
he wanted to kind of get out
on his own.
1217
00:57:56,767 --> 00:57:57,767
And the plan
1218
00:57:57,934 --> 00:58:01,266
was for Annamaria Phelps
and Daniel Lauer
1219
00:58:01,266 --> 00:58:03,467
to drive to Virginia Beach.
1220
00:58:03,634 --> 00:58:06,100
And the best way
to get there was on I-64.
1221
00:58:06,266 --> 00:58:08,100
[car starting]
1222
00:58:10,266 --> 00:58:11,266
[tires screech]
1223
00:58:11,433 --> 00:58:13,000
[Danny] We learned
from the families
1224
00:58:13,000 --> 00:58:15,100
that they never arrived
in Virginia Beach.
1225
00:58:16,166 --> 00:58:17,967
[Joe] If they are
in fact missing
1226
00:58:18,133 --> 00:58:21,066
and they're not in this car,
then where are they?
1227
00:58:21,233 --> 00:58:22,867
Could the Colonial
Parkway killer
1228
00:58:22,867 --> 00:58:25,300
have abducted and killed them,
just like the others?
1229
00:58:25,467 --> 00:58:26,467
[radio chirps]
1230
00:58:26,467 --> 00:58:27,867
Where are these people?
1231
00:58:28,033 --> 00:58:29,467
What has happened to them?
1232
00:58:30,266 --> 00:58:31,967
And the search begins.
1233
00:58:34,400 --> 00:58:37,467
[Danny] There was a search
by special agents
1234
00:58:37,634 --> 00:58:38,800
of the Virginia State Police
1235
00:58:38,967 --> 00:58:40,967
and troopers
of Virginia State police
1236
00:58:41,133 --> 00:58:42,300
in the general area.
1237
00:58:44,100 --> 00:58:46,767
No Annamaria
and Daniel, again.
1238
00:58:47,266 --> 00:58:49,867
It's very frustrating,
1239
00:58:50,367 --> 00:58:51,266
and I can only imagine
1240
00:58:51,433 --> 00:58:52,567
what it's like
for the families.
1241
00:58:52,734 --> 00:58:55,900
We really love
both of them very much.
1242
00:58:56,066 --> 00:58:58,166
And, um,
if there's anything at all
1243
00:58:58,333 --> 00:59:00,467
that you can do to help,
we'd appreciate it.
1244
00:59:01,400 --> 00:59:05,266
[Joe] Six weeks later,
on October 21, 1989,
1245
00:59:05,266 --> 00:59:08,400
two turkey hunters
find something shocking.
1246
00:59:09,900 --> 00:59:11,100
[Danny] I get a call.
1247
00:59:11,100 --> 00:59:15,600
"Hey, we need you to go
near the New Kent rest area."
1248
00:59:16,467 --> 00:59:18,100
I'm there.
1249
00:59:18,100 --> 00:59:19,367
There was a logging road.
1250
00:59:19,367 --> 00:59:21,266
That was the best way
to describe it.
1251
00:59:21,266 --> 00:59:23,266
And there was a deputy
stationed there,
1252
00:59:23,433 --> 00:59:26,967
and I stopped and he said,
"Go up here."
1253
00:59:27,133 --> 00:59:29,600
You didn't walk very far up
the fork in the road,
1254
00:59:31,200 --> 00:59:33,166
and then you went
into the woods.
1255
00:59:35,266 --> 00:59:39,333
I could see they already
had a tent set up.
1256
00:59:41,767 --> 00:59:45,367
[Joe] They find skeletonized
remains of humans.
1257
00:59:48,767 --> 00:59:50,867
Two skulls and bones.
1258
00:59:56,600 --> 01:00:00,100
[Danny] These are
two young people
that, unfortunately,
1259
01:00:00,100 --> 01:00:02,367
the best way
to describe it nicely
1260
01:00:02,533 --> 01:00:04,800
is they melted
into the ground.
1261
01:00:06,900 --> 01:00:09,266
They were so badly
decomposed at the time
1262
01:00:09,433 --> 01:00:10,867
that it was very difficult
to determine
1263
01:00:10,867 --> 01:00:11,867
exactly what happened.
1264
01:00:15,400 --> 01:00:17,467
[Danny] That's me
with a shovel in my hand.
1265
01:00:18,567 --> 01:00:20,467
I would have been
1266
01:00:20,467 --> 01:00:23,967
thirty-three, maybe.
1267
01:00:25,200 --> 01:00:27,967
I believe that
it had rained slightly,
1268
01:00:28,133 --> 01:00:29,667
as you can tell.
1269
01:00:29,834 --> 01:00:31,400
One man's wearing a raincoat.
1270
01:00:33,400 --> 01:00:34,667
The bottom photo
1271
01:00:35,300 --> 01:00:37,000
is Annamaria's locket.
1272
01:00:38,400 --> 01:00:41,200
That was found
at the fork of the road.
1273
01:00:42,867 --> 01:00:46,266
We speculate that that maybe
1274
01:00:46,433 --> 01:00:50,100
was where she was killed,
and that locket came off.
1275
01:00:52,500 --> 01:00:55,400
When the general area
was searched,
1276
01:00:56,467 --> 01:00:59,767
there was, you know,
very little to find.
1277
01:01:00,567 --> 01:01:04,266
No bullets. No knife.
1278
01:01:04,266 --> 01:01:06,000
No anything.
1279
01:01:06,000 --> 01:01:09,400
[male reporter] An autopsy
confirmed the body
of Annamaria Phelps.
1280
01:01:09,567 --> 01:01:11,967
Another body is believed
to be Dan Lauer.
1281
01:01:13,266 --> 01:01:14,867
The skeletal remains
1282
01:01:14,867 --> 01:01:17,867
were taken
to the Smithsonian Institute
1283
01:01:17,867 --> 01:01:23,767
with the forensic
anthropologist
Dr. Doug Owsley.
1284
01:01:23,767 --> 01:01:27,867
[Joe] Autopsies of skeletons
yield little
other than sex and age
1285
01:01:29,166 --> 01:01:32,700
and any wounds
to the bone structure.
1286
01:01:32,867 --> 01:01:35,700
[Danny] When he examined
the skeletal remains,
1287
01:01:35,867 --> 01:01:37,800
Dr. Owsley found
1288
01:01:37,967 --> 01:01:41,567
what he deemed a knife wound
1289
01:01:41,567 --> 01:01:43,700
on Annamaria's left hand.
1290
01:01:45,066 --> 01:01:47,166
And he speculated that
1291
01:01:47,333 --> 01:01:50,767
if someone is getting ready
to cut your throat,
1292
01:01:53,266 --> 01:01:55,066
you hold your hands up.
1293
01:01:55,233 --> 01:01:57,367
And it was
a diagonal knife wound
1294
01:01:57,533 --> 01:01:59,867
on her third finger.
1295
01:02:01,567 --> 01:02:03,467
That's the only trauma
1296
01:02:04,500 --> 01:02:05,567
that he could say.
1297
01:02:06,867 --> 01:02:08,867
[Joe] Is this
the Colonial Parkway killer?
1298
01:02:09,567 --> 01:02:11,567
Well, of course it is.
1299
01:02:11,734 --> 01:02:13,567
There's a change
here and there in the MO.
1300
01:02:13,734 --> 01:02:14,567
But so what?
1301
01:02:14,567 --> 01:02:17,200
Either way, they work.
1302
01:02:17,367 --> 01:02:18,400
[male reporter] The
couple's disappearance
1303
01:02:18,567 --> 01:02:20,400
is strikingly similar
to others,
1304
01:02:20,567 --> 01:02:22,867
including Robin Edwards
and David Knobling.
1305
01:02:22,867 --> 01:02:23,867
The only difference is that
1306
01:02:24,033 --> 01:02:25,166
they were found in the woods
1307
01:02:25,166 --> 01:02:27,266
instead of in the river.
1308
01:02:27,266 --> 01:02:29,100
The victims are in cars.
There's two of them.
1309
01:02:30,867 --> 01:02:32,200
They're probably
very vulnerable.
1310
01:02:34,000 --> 01:02:37,667
He strangles, cuts the throat
1311
01:02:37,834 --> 01:02:40,000
of Rebecca and Cathleen.
1312
01:02:41,200 --> 01:02:43,367
He shoots David and Robin.
1313
01:02:44,667 --> 01:02:46,667
He disposes of the bodies,
1314
01:02:46,834 --> 01:02:48,100
however it was done,
1315
01:02:48,266 --> 01:02:50,000
of Keith and Cassandra.
1316
01:02:51,567 --> 01:02:54,667
And then lays
the other two side by side.
1317
01:02:56,667 --> 01:02:58,467
[Joe] There are
a couple of things
that are different,
1318
01:02:58,467 --> 01:03:00,367
but there are some things
that are not.
1319
01:03:01,467 --> 01:03:02,800
[Danny] Two on the Parkway,
1320
01:03:02,967 --> 01:03:06,266
two within easy driving
distance of the Parkway.
1321
01:03:07,300 --> 01:03:08,767
[Joe] His method up to now
1322
01:03:08,934 --> 01:03:11,000
has been the sea
and the water.
1323
01:03:12,100 --> 01:03:15,567
Now his method
is a concealment
in the deep woods.
1324
01:03:16,367 --> 01:03:17,500
What does that mean?
1325
01:03:17,667 --> 01:03:19,000
Did he become fearful
1326
01:03:19,166 --> 01:03:21,600
of the increased
patrol activity
on the parkway?
1327
01:03:21,767 --> 01:03:22,600
Probably.
1328
01:03:23,400 --> 01:03:24,634
He doesn't want
to stop killing.
1329
01:03:24,634 --> 01:03:27,767
He just wants
to stop the police
from getting close to him.
1330
01:03:27,934 --> 01:03:30,567
And the reality
is he may never be found.
1331
01:03:38,667 --> 01:03:42,600
This individual has eluded
law enforcement for years.
1332
01:03:42,767 --> 01:03:44,567
If he's shifting his MO
1333
01:03:44,567 --> 01:03:46,567
and he's committing
other murders,
1334
01:03:46,567 --> 01:03:49,667
we may not even
recognize them as his.
1335
01:03:51,266 --> 01:03:53,367
He's a killer.
That's what he does.
1336
01:03:55,400 --> 01:03:56,767
The question always becomes,
1337
01:03:57,400 --> 01:03:59,166
"Has he done other crimes?"
1338
01:04:00,066 --> 01:04:02,066
Of course he has.
1339
01:04:02,233 --> 01:04:03,900
That's what's kind of scary.
1340
01:04:04,066 --> 01:04:06,600
There's going to be
other victims.
1341
01:04:06,767 --> 01:04:07,800
How many did he kill?
1342
01:04:08,300 --> 01:04:09,667
We have no clue.
1343
01:04:13,166 --> 01:04:15,266
[Joe] There have
been eight dead.
1344
01:04:15,433 --> 01:04:17,567
There's a possibility
there are others dead
1345
01:04:17,567 --> 01:04:18,967
that we don't even know about.
1346
01:04:19,133 --> 01:04:21,467
And the case
continues to be cold
1347
01:04:21,467 --> 01:04:24,100
despite their focus
on it for years.
1348
01:04:24,100 --> 01:04:26,567
They've gotten nowhere fast.
1349
01:04:29,667 --> 01:04:31,033
[Danny] After the task force,
1350
01:04:31,033 --> 01:04:35,166
I worked several years
in the fugitive unit
as a special agent,
1351
01:04:35,333 --> 01:04:36,667
which took me away from it,
1352
01:04:36,667 --> 01:04:38,000
and it was given
to somebody else.
1353
01:04:38,166 --> 01:04:41,900
But I worked
in and around the same office,
1354
01:04:42,066 --> 01:04:45,867
and I did not have
the least bit problem saying,
1355
01:04:45,867 --> 01:04:48,066
"Hey, anything new
with Ragged Island?
1356
01:04:48,233 --> 01:04:49,800
Anything new
with the Parkway murders?"
1357
01:04:49,967 --> 01:04:50,967
"No, go away."
1358
01:04:50,967 --> 01:04:54,567
Despite all the effort,
despite all the leads
1359
01:04:54,734 --> 01:04:56,767
and all
of the investigative work,
1360
01:04:56,934 --> 01:04:59,000
the years begin to tick by,
1361
01:04:59,166 --> 01:05:02,000
and no justice has been
found for the family.
1362
01:05:07,667 --> 01:05:08,867
[Michael] My mom and my dad
1363
01:05:08,867 --> 01:05:10,700
kept in touch with the police
over the years,
1364
01:05:10,867 --> 01:05:12,000
and I took it
with a grain of salt.
1365
01:05:13,100 --> 01:05:15,100
I had zero expectation
1366
01:05:15,266 --> 01:05:16,967
about finding out
who killed my brother
1367
01:05:17,133 --> 01:05:19,367
after the tenth year,
1368
01:05:19,533 --> 01:05:23,367
the twentieth year,
the thirtieth year.
1369
01:05:23,533 --> 01:05:26,000
And it's been a horrendous
waiting game the whole time.
1370
01:05:26,000 --> 01:05:27,667
Just a cold waiting game.
1371
01:05:28,166 --> 01:05:29,900
That's all it's been.
1372
01:05:30,066 --> 01:05:31,567
[Joyce] It's not like
it was forgotten,
1373
01:05:31,567 --> 01:05:34,000
but it's just like,
"What do you do?"
1374
01:05:34,166 --> 01:05:36,166
None of us were brought up
in law enforcement.
1375
01:05:36,333 --> 01:05:39,000
None of us had any background
on what to do
1376
01:05:39,000 --> 01:05:42,867
if your brother
is abducted or murdered.
1377
01:05:42,867 --> 01:05:45,700
[Bill] So you've got
eight victims,
16 moms and dads.
1378
01:05:45,867 --> 01:05:47,667
We've lost
nine of them so far.
1379
01:05:47,667 --> 01:05:49,667
Both of my parents
passed away.
1380
01:05:49,834 --> 01:05:51,100
It's been 37 years.
1381
01:05:51,266 --> 01:05:54,600
I can't really say it gets
easier to talk about.
1382
01:05:55,266 --> 01:05:56,867
All of these victims
1383
01:05:56,867 --> 01:06:02,100
have been dead much longer
than they were alive.
1384
01:06:02,100 --> 01:06:04,467
[Joe] Many
of the investigators
involved in this are retired,
1385
01:06:04,634 --> 01:06:06,767
but this is not a case
anybody ever forgets.
1386
01:06:06,934 --> 01:06:09,100
It's been very hard on Danny.
1387
01:06:09,100 --> 01:06:12,367
[Danny] I retired
from the state police in 2013,
1388
01:06:12,367 --> 01:06:17,300
but those murders have never
been far from my mind,
1389
01:06:17,467 --> 01:06:20,300
and I still
remember the frustration
1390
01:06:20,467 --> 01:06:24,100
of, "Why can't we
find this person?"
1391
01:06:24,266 --> 01:06:25,600
[door creaking]
1392
01:06:25,767 --> 01:06:27,567
[Joe] It's the worst feeling
in the world.
1393
01:06:28,600 --> 01:06:29,867
You feel like a failure.
1394
01:06:29,867 --> 01:06:32,066
You feel like
you haven't done your job.
1395
01:06:32,767 --> 01:06:33,767
You know better.
1396
01:06:34,700 --> 01:06:36,500
You did everything
humanly possible.
1397
01:06:37,166 --> 01:06:38,600
It just wasn't enough.
1398
01:06:39,967 --> 01:06:41,767
And you beat
yourself up for that.
1399
01:06:41,934 --> 01:06:43,300
[siren wails]
1400
01:06:48,200 --> 01:06:50,300
[Joe] December 2017,
1401
01:06:50,467 --> 01:06:54,467
law enforcement responds
to a 911 complaint
1402
01:06:54,467 --> 01:06:58,200
about a foul odor emanating
from a private residence.
1403
01:06:58,367 --> 01:06:59,800
[indistinct radio chatter]
1404
01:07:00,900 --> 01:07:04,166
They find a badly
decomposed body
1405
01:07:04,333 --> 01:07:07,266
that basically
is a bed full of soup.
1406
01:07:09,700 --> 01:07:11,700
[Danny] The decay
was horrible.
1407
01:07:11,867 --> 01:07:14,367
They don't know
if they're dealing
with a natural death,
1408
01:07:14,533 --> 01:07:16,700
a suicide or a murder.
1409
01:07:16,867 --> 01:07:17,767
[indistinct radio chatter]
1410
01:07:17,767 --> 01:07:19,567
[Joe] The autopsy reveals
1411
01:07:19,567 --> 01:07:23,367
advanced arterial sclerosis
and blocked arteries.
1412
01:07:23,367 --> 01:07:26,100
In other words,
his heart got blocked up,
1413
01:07:26,266 --> 01:07:28,400
and it stopped and so did he.
1414
01:07:29,200 --> 01:07:31,967
They take samples
of these remains
1415
01:07:32,133 --> 01:07:34,367
for the purpose
of obtaining DNA
1416
01:07:34,367 --> 01:07:36,000
and the possibility
of using it
1417
01:07:36,000 --> 01:07:38,000
to identify the individual.
1418
01:07:38,000 --> 01:07:40,500
Little did anyone know
this was someone
1419
01:07:40,667 --> 01:07:44,367
who was directly
under their noses
the entire time.
1420
01:07:48,567 --> 01:07:50,667
January of 2024
1421
01:07:50,667 --> 01:07:54,100
was when we got
the first substantial break
1422
01:07:54,100 --> 01:07:56,500
in the
Colonial Parkway murders.
1423
01:07:56,667 --> 01:07:59,800
[Joe] A detective
is going through
the daily crime sheets,
1424
01:08:00,767 --> 01:08:02,667
notices this death case.
1425
01:08:03,367 --> 01:08:06,767
Looks at the name
and recognizes it.
1426
01:08:08,400 --> 01:08:09,800
It was from years ago.
1427
01:08:10,867 --> 01:08:13,367
I was called
and the person said,
1428
01:08:13,367 --> 01:08:16,000
"The name Alan Wilmer
mean anything to you."
1429
01:08:16,000 --> 01:08:17,166
And I said, "Yeah...
1430
01:08:18,100 --> 01:08:19,567
Parkway murder suspect."
1431
01:08:21,100 --> 01:08:22,567
[Joe] This was the guy
1432
01:08:22,734 --> 01:08:26,000
that was identified
by an anonymous person
1433
01:08:26,000 --> 01:08:29,667
as a Peeping Tom
on the Colonial Parkway.
1434
01:08:30,367 --> 01:08:32,266
The FBI looked at him
1435
01:08:32,266 --> 01:08:35,166
and they let him go
because they couldn't
prove anything.
1436
01:08:35,333 --> 01:08:36,867
Suddenly, there's a connection
1437
01:08:36,867 --> 01:08:38,967
back to the Colonial Parkway.
1438
01:08:39,133 --> 01:08:40,767
Which means
a connection, potentially,
1439
01:08:40,934 --> 01:08:43,600
to all
the Colonial Parkway murders.
1440
01:08:43,767 --> 01:08:45,100
Which means you start looking
1441
01:08:45,100 --> 01:08:47,567
for where do we have DNA
1442
01:08:47,734 --> 01:08:50,266
that we might
be able to compare.
1443
01:08:51,166 --> 01:08:53,266
Robin Edwards
had been sodomized,
1444
01:08:53,266 --> 01:08:56,066
and to the credit
of the Virginia State police,
1445
01:08:56,233 --> 01:08:57,867
they managed to maintain
1446
01:08:57,867 --> 01:09:01,767
some of the samples
of that DNA for ages.
1447
01:09:02,567 --> 01:09:04,400
Alan is deceased,
1448
01:09:04,567 --> 01:09:07,367
but now we
have a DNA sample from him.
1449
01:09:07,533 --> 01:09:09,767
And they compare that sample
1450
01:09:09,767 --> 01:09:11,367
taken from the victim
1451
01:09:11,533 --> 01:09:14,400
to the sample taken
of Alan Wilmer Sr.
1452
01:09:14,867 --> 01:09:17,266
and it's a 100% match.
1453
01:09:22,467 --> 01:09:24,166
Well, my, my, my.
1454
01:09:30,367 --> 01:09:33,400
After decades
of work and effort
1455
01:09:33,567 --> 01:09:35,000
and theorizing,
1456
01:09:35,000 --> 01:09:36,967
they finally have a name
1457
01:09:39,967 --> 01:09:41,300
all these years later.
1458
01:09:42,367 --> 01:09:44,567
Alan Wilmer Sr. is...
1459
01:09:45,967 --> 01:09:48,900
the Colonial Parkway killer.
1460
01:09:51,367 --> 01:09:53,900
The best way to put
what I was, was ecstatic.
1461
01:09:54,667 --> 01:09:56,567
You know, I was ecstatic.
1462
01:09:57,066 --> 01:09:59,767
I was also humbled
1463
01:09:59,767 --> 01:10:00,700
and...
1464
01:10:01,400 --> 01:10:03,500
a little bit irritated
at myself
1465
01:10:03,667 --> 01:10:04,467
that...
1466
01:10:05,100 --> 01:10:07,467
I knew that Alan Wilmer
1467
01:10:07,467 --> 01:10:09,100
was a great suspect.
1468
01:10:10,467 --> 01:10:12,066
[Joe] But who is this guy?
1469
01:10:12,667 --> 01:10:15,100
Who is Alan Wilmer Sr.?
1470
01:10:17,567 --> 01:10:20,567
What was Alan Wilmer besides
a murderer and piece of shit?
1471
01:10:20,734 --> 01:10:22,433
He was a waterman.
1472
01:10:24,867 --> 01:10:26,500
[Joe] He was
a commercial fisherman
1473
01:10:26,667 --> 01:10:28,266
specifically who farmed
1474
01:10:28,767 --> 01:10:30,367
clams and oysters.
1475
01:10:32,467 --> 01:10:33,567
He spent
the majority of his time
1476
01:10:33,567 --> 01:10:34,467
on his boat,
1477
01:10:34,467 --> 01:10:37,066
a vessel he named Denni Wade.
1478
01:10:42,166 --> 01:10:44,100
[Blaine] From
a geographic perspective,
1479
01:10:44,100 --> 01:10:46,367
the anchor point is
the York River,
1480
01:10:46,367 --> 01:10:50,166
and that's where
he worked every day.
1481
01:10:50,333 --> 01:10:53,100
It makes complete sense
1482
01:10:53,266 --> 01:10:56,066
that it was
a waterman all along.
1483
01:10:57,767 --> 01:11:00,166
[Joe] Also, Wilmer was
an avid hunter.
1484
01:11:00,767 --> 01:11:02,567
He belonged to a hunt club
1485
01:11:02,734 --> 01:11:04,400
not far from the area
1486
01:11:04,567 --> 01:11:06,166
where the fourth
murder victims were
1487
01:11:06,166 --> 01:11:08,400
discovered skeletonized.
1488
01:11:08,567 --> 01:11:10,300
[Blaine] When you look
at Phelps-Lauer,
1489
01:11:10,467 --> 01:11:12,367
their bodies were found
1490
01:11:12,533 --> 01:11:14,867
on a private hunting reserve.
1491
01:11:14,867 --> 01:11:16,166
Is there a connection?
1492
01:11:16,567 --> 01:11:17,567
We don't know.
1493
01:11:17,734 --> 01:11:19,834
But where there's smoke,
there's often fire.
1494
01:11:22,300 --> 01:11:25,300
[Joe] Everything
about Alan Wilmer's life fits
1495
01:11:25,467 --> 01:11:27,367
the entire style
1496
01:11:27,533 --> 01:11:29,600
of the Colonial
Parkway Killer.
1497
01:11:30,767 --> 01:11:32,300
He moves by boat.
1498
01:11:33,166 --> 01:11:35,367
He's around at night,
1499
01:11:35,533 --> 01:11:36,367
where you can see
1500
01:11:36,367 --> 01:11:39,467
the lovers' lanes
from the water.
1501
01:11:39,467 --> 01:11:42,467
Everything about him seems
to come together
1502
01:11:42,467 --> 01:11:43,667
once he's identified
1503
01:11:43,667 --> 01:11:45,500
and firmly linked
1504
01:11:45,667 --> 01:11:47,567
scientifically to one victim.
1505
01:11:52,800 --> 01:11:54,667
[Michael] The FBI had
called us,
1506
01:11:54,834 --> 01:11:55,800
and they let us know
1507
01:11:55,967 --> 01:11:57,567
that they had a DNA match.
1508
01:11:57,734 --> 01:11:58,600
I was shocked.
1509
01:11:58,767 --> 01:11:59,800
I was absolutely shocked.
1510
01:12:03,166 --> 01:12:04,367
[Joyce] I got a call
1511
01:12:04,367 --> 01:12:05,867
from our case agent,
1512
01:12:05,867 --> 01:12:09,567
and they were bringing up
Alan Wade Wilmer.
1513
01:12:09,567 --> 01:12:11,767
It was just like,
"Oh, my God". [chuckles]
1514
01:12:11,934 --> 01:12:13,100
"Oh, my God".
1515
01:12:13,100 --> 01:12:14,066
Our family went through
1516
01:12:14,233 --> 01:12:16,266
so much frickin' heartache
and pain
1517
01:12:16,266 --> 01:12:17,767
wondering
what the [bleep] happened
1518
01:12:17,934 --> 01:12:18,700
to my brother, you know?
1519
01:12:18,867 --> 01:12:19,900
And come to find out,
1520
01:12:19,900 --> 01:12:21,867
they had the right guy
the whole frickin' time.
1521
01:12:23,800 --> 01:12:25,166
[Joyce] When you talk
about anger,
1522
01:12:25,700 --> 01:12:27,367
there has been like
1523
01:12:27,367 --> 01:12:29,467
35 years' worth of anger.
1524
01:12:29,634 --> 01:12:31,400
It's just-- it's maddening.
1525
01:12:31,567 --> 01:12:33,367
There he was
in the very beginning.
1526
01:12:34,266 --> 01:12:36,100
[Bill] I'm still angry
about it to this day.
1527
01:12:36,100 --> 01:12:37,667
I thought it was outrageous.
1528
01:12:38,266 --> 01:12:39,600
They told my family
1529
01:12:39,767 --> 01:12:41,066
they were looking at watermen.
1530
01:12:41,233 --> 01:12:43,667
This is that guy.
1531
01:12:43,834 --> 01:12:45,066
Is he responsible
1532
01:12:45,233 --> 01:12:48,867
for Cathy and Becky's murder
as well?
1533
01:12:52,767 --> 01:12:54,100
[Blaine] It always
makes me wonder,
1534
01:12:54,266 --> 01:12:56,166
could law enforcement
have prevented
1535
01:12:56,166 --> 01:12:58,266
the things that followed?
1536
01:12:58,433 --> 01:13:00,467
The deaths, the loss of life.
1537
01:13:01,367 --> 01:13:02,900
[Danny] The FBI decided
1538
01:13:03,066 --> 01:13:05,000
that him passing a polygraph
1539
01:13:05,567 --> 01:13:07,467
was enough to say
1540
01:13:07,467 --> 01:13:08,800
he's not the one.
1541
01:13:09,300 --> 01:13:11,066
The decision was made,
1542
01:13:11,233 --> 01:13:14,066
and that wasn't made by me.
1543
01:13:15,100 --> 01:13:16,800
I can't say we let him go,
1544
01:13:17,400 --> 01:13:18,367
but...
1545
01:13:18,867 --> 01:13:20,667
we didn't do enough.
1546
01:13:20,834 --> 01:13:22,066
I would have done anything,
1547
01:13:22,233 --> 01:13:23,767
threatened him,
1548
01:13:23,767 --> 01:13:26,467
anything else to try
to get him to admit to it,
1549
01:13:26,634 --> 01:13:28,767
but I don't think he was
the kind of person that would.
1550
01:13:29,767 --> 01:13:32,867
[Joe] He passed
a polygraph, but so what?
1551
01:13:32,867 --> 01:13:34,900
He also happens
to be a sociopath,
1552
01:13:35,066 --> 01:13:36,300
so he doesn't react.
1553
01:13:37,166 --> 01:13:39,667
Thus a polygraph is useless.
1554
01:13:39,667 --> 01:13:42,000
He's not capable of emotion.
1555
01:13:42,800 --> 01:13:44,400
[Danny] Someone like Wilmer,
1556
01:13:45,600 --> 01:13:47,467
"I killed two people today.
1557
01:13:48,367 --> 01:13:49,600
Big deal."
1558
01:13:50,767 --> 01:13:53,033
That's what makes him
so dangerous.
1559
01:13:55,467 --> 01:13:59,000
Why is there only a DNA hit
on one case
1560
01:13:59,000 --> 01:14:00,867
when there are
four double murders
1561
01:14:00,867 --> 01:14:02,667
that everyone says
are connected?
1562
01:14:03,166 --> 01:14:04,767
One possible answer is
1563
01:14:04,767 --> 01:14:08,400
no evidence contained
any perpetrator DNA.
1564
01:14:10,800 --> 01:14:13,000
[Danny] Robin
and David's murder,
1565
01:14:13,166 --> 01:14:17,266
that is the only one
of the four
1566
01:14:17,266 --> 01:14:21,200
that there was actual
known DNA evidence.
1567
01:14:24,800 --> 01:14:26,066
[Joe] So what is known
1568
01:14:26,233 --> 01:14:29,367
about the four
Colonial Parkway
double homicides?
1569
01:14:30,200 --> 01:14:31,266
[Blaine]
At the very beginning,
1570
01:14:31,266 --> 01:14:35,600
the FBI behavioral profilers
said watermen.
1571
01:14:36,567 --> 01:14:37,667
[Danny] The first three,
1572
01:14:38,500 --> 01:14:40,667
'86, '87, '88,
1573
01:14:40,834 --> 01:14:42,600
all of them took place
1574
01:14:42,767 --> 01:14:45,000
right against the water.
1575
01:14:45,767 --> 01:14:47,667
Either the York River
1576
01:14:47,667 --> 01:14:49,166
or the James River.
1577
01:14:49,333 --> 01:14:52,400
You're dealing with a creature
from the Black Lagoon.
1578
01:14:52,867 --> 01:14:55,867
[seagulls squawking]
1579
01:14:59,567 --> 01:15:02,200
[Joe] It's possible
that in the first murder,
1580
01:15:03,367 --> 01:15:06,100
he spots Cathy and Rebecca...
1581
01:15:06,266 --> 01:15:07,567
[girls laughing]
1582
01:15:07,567 --> 01:15:09,266
[Joe] ...in Lover's lane
1583
01:15:09,266 --> 01:15:10,900
together in a car,
1584
01:15:12,166 --> 01:15:13,367
approaches them.
1585
01:15:15,500 --> 01:15:18,233
He strangles them
and he slashes their throats.
1586
01:15:20,700 --> 01:15:22,266
And he put them
in Cathy's Honda,
1587
01:15:22,433 --> 01:15:23,700
soaked it in diesel fuel,
1588
01:15:23,867 --> 01:15:25,100
tried to burn it.
1589
01:15:25,266 --> 01:15:27,066
Then he shoved it
over the embankment,
1590
01:15:27,233 --> 01:15:30,100
assuming it would sink
in the river and disappear.
1591
01:15:30,266 --> 01:15:33,000
His attempt at disposal
is a disaster.
1592
01:15:36,700 --> 01:15:37,967
In the second killing,
1593
01:15:38,133 --> 01:15:39,800
David Knobling
and Robin Edwards,
1594
01:15:40,500 --> 01:15:43,200
he sodomizes Robin Edwards
1595
01:15:43,367 --> 01:15:45,000
and he shoots her
in the back of the head.
1596
01:15:46,667 --> 01:15:48,700
[Joe] David is shot
in the shoulder...
1597
01:15:50,867 --> 01:15:52,266
and the back of the head.
1598
01:15:54,367 --> 01:15:55,800
They're thrown in the river,
1599
01:15:55,967 --> 01:15:58,166
assuming they'll float away,
1600
01:15:58,166 --> 01:16:00,567
but they wind up trapped
under the embankment.
1601
01:16:01,467 --> 01:16:03,266
Another failure.
1602
01:16:03,266 --> 01:16:06,300
However, DNA this time
remains behind,
1603
01:16:07,266 --> 01:16:10,100
which ultimately becomes
his undoing.
1604
01:16:11,667 --> 01:16:14,367
[Danny] By Keith
and Cassandra's murder,
1605
01:16:15,100 --> 01:16:17,567
he had perfected his craft.
1606
01:16:17,567 --> 01:16:19,867
[Joe] If this was
his third murder,
1607
01:16:19,867 --> 01:16:21,467
he abducted and killed them,
1608
01:16:22,367 --> 01:16:24,000
threw them in the water.
1609
01:16:26,166 --> 01:16:29,867
He went out and he fished,
clammed, oystered
1610
01:16:29,867 --> 01:16:31,200
from that boat.
1611
01:16:32,667 --> 01:16:37,166
How hard would it have been
to take them out on that boat
1612
01:16:38,967 --> 01:16:41,400
and dispose of their bodies?
1613
01:16:41,567 --> 01:16:42,900
It would have been very easy.
1614
01:16:46,166 --> 01:16:47,100
[Joe] The fourth murder,
1615
01:16:47,266 --> 01:16:49,867
Daniel Lauer
and Annamaria Phelps,
1616
01:16:50,033 --> 01:16:52,767
they are discovered miles away
from the parkway.
1617
01:16:53,800 --> 01:16:55,700
[Danny] My best speculation is
1618
01:16:55,867 --> 01:16:56,734
they stopped
1619
01:16:56,734 --> 01:16:59,667
at the eastbound rest area
of New Kent.
1620
01:17:02,200 --> 01:17:05,834
That's where Wilmer took
control of them.
1621
01:17:08,300 --> 01:17:10,967
And then they were carried
to these two positions
1622
01:17:11,133 --> 01:17:12,166
where they were found.
1623
01:17:14,166 --> 01:17:16,800
It seems he learns
from his mistakes.
1624
01:17:16,967 --> 01:17:20,266
He gets better
at disposing of remains.
1625
01:17:21,266 --> 01:17:24,900
But what is his deal
about couples?
1626
01:17:25,800 --> 01:17:26,800
Does he hate them?
1627
01:17:26,967 --> 01:17:28,467
What motive could there be?
1628
01:17:29,200 --> 01:17:31,367
Maybe just a willingness
to kill.
1629
01:17:31,533 --> 01:17:34,867
And perhaps that's
the only motive he needs.
1630
01:17:34,867 --> 01:17:39,100
Now we learned
that Wilmer's sphere was
even larger.
1631
01:17:40,967 --> 01:17:43,266
We now have some evidence
1632
01:17:43,266 --> 01:17:46,100
that we can weigh
against these other cases.
1633
01:17:46,867 --> 01:17:48,800
[Danny] Here we have
Alan Wilmer.
1634
01:17:48,967 --> 01:17:51,767
We have him tied to the murder
of Robin and David.
1635
01:17:51,934 --> 01:17:54,467
Luckily, we got DNA from that.
1636
01:17:54,467 --> 01:17:58,467
But that wasn't the only crime
his DNA hit on.
1637
01:17:58,634 --> 01:18:02,433
He was tied to another murder
of a lady in Hampton.
1638
01:18:04,900 --> 01:18:06,767
[Joe] There was
a 29-year-old woman
1639
01:18:06,767 --> 01:18:09,000
named Teresa Howell
1640
01:18:09,000 --> 01:18:11,367
who left a nightclub
and disappeared.
1641
01:18:12,300 --> 01:18:15,667
She was found naked,
strangled, and raped.
1642
01:18:17,200 --> 01:18:19,300
And the perpetrator DNA
1643
01:18:20,166 --> 01:18:24,133
was none other
than Alan Wilmer Sr.
1644
01:18:26,567 --> 01:18:28,066
[Blaine] We now know
that he killed people
1645
01:18:28,233 --> 01:18:29,000
that were alone,
1646
01:18:29,000 --> 01:18:31,467
so the net gets cast
pretty wide
1647
01:18:31,467 --> 01:18:32,667
to look at cases
1648
01:18:32,667 --> 01:18:34,834
that this guy may have
been involved with.
1649
01:18:37,300 --> 01:18:39,300
[Joe] Well, it's always
difficult to say
1650
01:18:39,467 --> 01:18:41,100
what will happen now.
1651
01:18:41,266 --> 01:18:44,567
Will the DNA science
advance further?
1652
01:18:44,734 --> 01:18:46,967
Will they be able
to determine something
1653
01:18:47,133 --> 01:18:48,600
from some of these cases
1654
01:18:48,767 --> 01:18:50,867
to link him directly
to the crime?
1655
01:18:50,867 --> 01:18:52,800
It's entirely possible.
1656
01:18:52,967 --> 01:18:54,400
Prosecution will never occur.
1657
01:18:54,567 --> 01:18:56,800
You can't prosecute
a dead guy.
1658
01:18:56,967 --> 01:18:59,500
But I hope he's facing
some kind of judgment.
1659
01:18:59,667 --> 01:19:00,800
Well, you would hope so.
1660
01:19:01,200 --> 01:19:02,166
You would hope so.
1661
01:19:02,166 --> 01:19:04,400
Perhaps he moved
to a higher court.
1662
01:19:06,300 --> 01:19:09,567
If we had had hindsight
in law enforcement in general,
1663
01:19:09,734 --> 01:19:10,867
FBI, state police,
1664
01:19:11,033 --> 01:19:12,967
Isle of Wight County
Sheriff's Office,
1665
01:19:13,133 --> 01:19:15,166
this would have been
handled different.
1666
01:19:15,166 --> 01:19:20,100
But the only answers
we can really for sure give is
1667
01:19:20,100 --> 01:19:23,867
to Ms. Howell's family,
the Knobling family,
1668
01:19:23,867 --> 01:19:26,000
and the Edwards family.
1669
01:19:30,166 --> 01:19:32,300
The FBI
and the Virginia State Police,
1670
01:19:32,467 --> 01:19:34,266
they have not stopped.
1671
01:19:34,433 --> 01:19:38,567
And I hope they can tie him
to any and all of them.
1672
01:19:39,300 --> 01:19:42,667
All these families
deserve answers.
1673
01:19:43,467 --> 01:19:46,066
This completely destroyed
my mother.
1674
01:19:52,500 --> 01:19:56,266
In one night, she lost
her only daughter,
1675
01:19:56,266 --> 01:19:58,300
her youngest child,
and her best friend.
1676
01:20:01,800 --> 01:20:03,867
This is a solvable case.
1677
01:20:03,867 --> 01:20:06,800
All it takes is time,
attention, and resources.
1678
01:20:07,667 --> 01:20:09,467
It's not something
that we ever wanted,
1679
01:20:09,634 --> 01:20:11,467
to be burying
a younger brother.
1680
01:20:11,634 --> 01:20:14,100
Keith was just
starting out his life.
1681
01:20:14,500 --> 01:20:16,000
He had aspirations.
1682
01:20:16,000 --> 01:20:17,533
He was a good kid.
1683
01:20:20,000 --> 01:20:22,467
I hated that he didn't have
the opportunity
1684
01:20:22,467 --> 01:20:24,567
to grow up, you know,
and to have a family.
1685
01:20:24,567 --> 01:20:26,567
I mean, that guy robbed Keith.
1686
01:20:26,567 --> 01:20:29,100
He robbed him
of a whole entire life.
1687
01:20:29,967 --> 01:20:32,467
That was my big brother,
man, you know?
1688
01:20:32,467 --> 01:20:34,567
Doesn't get
any tighter than that.
1689
01:20:34,734 --> 01:20:35,567
I mean,
1690
01:20:36,166 --> 01:20:37,166
[choked up] it's not fair.
1691
01:20:41,867 --> 01:20:43,467
I missed so much with him.
1692
01:20:45,967 --> 01:20:47,266
So much.
1693
01:20:47,433 --> 01:20:49,166
I know my life would have
been so much different
1694
01:20:49,166 --> 01:20:50,533
if he was still in it.
1695
01:20:53,000 --> 01:20:54,266
God, I wish he was still here.
1696
01:20:59,667 --> 01:21:02,266
[Joe] Some people never
have to pay the bill
1697
01:21:02,433 --> 01:21:03,967
for what they've done
in their life.
1698
01:21:04,133 --> 01:21:05,367
They just croak,
1699
01:21:06,100 --> 01:21:07,667
like everybody does.
1700
01:21:08,700 --> 01:21:10,166
I'll be quite frank with you.
1701
01:21:10,166 --> 01:21:14,100
I hope there is a special,
special place in hell
1702
01:21:14,266 --> 01:21:15,233
for this man.
1703
01:21:16,000 --> 01:21:19,300
And every day
what he did to those kids
1704
01:21:19,467 --> 01:21:20,567
is done to him
1705
01:21:22,000 --> 01:21:23,367
for eternity.
1706
01:21:23,533 --> 01:21:25,066
Then, maybe,
1707
01:21:26,066 --> 01:21:28,467
it'll be a little bit
of justice.
1708
01:21:29,867 --> 01:21:32,400
[Joe] There's supposed to be
justice and punishment.
1709
01:21:32,567 --> 01:21:34,166
That's not always the case.
1710
01:21:34,333 --> 01:21:36,867
Wilmer denied
the hangman's noose.
1711
01:21:36,867 --> 01:21:40,100
However, he died
in his hovel of a trailer
1712
01:21:41,166 --> 01:21:44,000
and turned
into a puddle of DNA.
1713
01:21:45,767 --> 01:21:48,000
No one cared about Alan.
1714
01:21:48,000 --> 01:21:50,100
Maybe Alan didn't either.
1715
01:21:50,100 --> 01:21:51,967
He cared about killing,
1716
01:21:52,133 --> 01:21:53,867
and he got pretty good at it.
1717
01:22:03,800 --> 01:22:06,266
[interviewer
speaking]
1718
01:22:06,433 --> 01:22:08,867
[man speaking]
1719
01:22:11,066 --> 01:22:12,467
There are people
in this world
1720
01:22:12,467 --> 01:22:14,467
who are patently evil.
1721
01:22:14,634 --> 01:22:17,100
[woman]
My mind went to that.
1722
01:22:17,100 --> 01:22:20,100
Someone took her,
someone is trafficking her.
1723
01:22:24,367 --> 01:22:26,967
I just felt like
I gotta solve this case.
1724
01:22:28,200 --> 01:22:30,767
A lot of murderers are
emotional when
1725
01:22:30,934 --> 01:22:33,100
they take a life...
not him.
1726
01:22:33,266 --> 01:22:35,600
He's cold as ice.
1727
01:22:35,767 --> 01:22:37,266
[distant gunshot blasts]
1728
01:22:37,433 --> 01:22:39,867
How much worse will it be
if we don't get who did this?
1729
01:22:41,900 --> 01:22:44,000
And I'm like, what?
1730
01:22:44,166 --> 01:22:46,600
What do you mean
they've been murdered?
1731
01:22:46,767 --> 01:22:49,667
[Kenda]
We're not just the police,
we're the murder police.
1732
01:22:49,667 --> 01:22:51,867
When Cain busted
a cap in Abel,
1733
01:22:51,867 --> 01:22:53,700
did he send a uniform
to take the report?
1734
01:22:53,867 --> 01:22:55,867
No, he sent
a [bleep] detective.