FBI Uses New Forensics to Tie Deceased Fisherman Alan Wilmer Sr. to Colonial Parkway and Related Virginia Murders
The FBI says advances in forensic science and DNA analysis have identified deceased fisherman Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. as the perpetrator of the Colonial Parkway murders, linking him to the 1986 slayings of Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski, who were last seen Oct. 9, 1986 leaving a College of William & Mary computer lab. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said there would have been sufficient evidence to prosecute had he been alive, and investigators — noting Wilmer was a Lancaster County fisherman who frequented Gloucester and Middlesex marinas — say he may be tied to additional unsolved crimes (including the sexual assault of 14‑year‑old Robin Edwards) and have released images of his vehicles as the probe continues.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- The FBI says recent advances in forensic science and DNA analysis identified Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. as the killer in the Colonial Parkway case, connecting him to the murders of Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski.
- Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski were last seen Oct. 9, 1986, leaving a College of William & Mary computer lab in Williamsburg.
- The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia concluded there would have been sufficient evidence to prosecute Wilmer federally had he been alive.
- Authorities detailed that 14‑year‑old Robin Edwards was sexually assaulted in an attack tied to the broader set of Virginia crimes.
- Reports provide biographical/contextual detail: Thomas was remembered for compassion and intelligence; Dowski was a talented musician with a promising future; Wilmer was described as a Lancaster County fisherman who frequented marinas in Gloucester and Middlesex counties.
- Law enforcement released images of Wilmer’s vehicles as investigators continue probing whether he is tied to additional unsolved crimes.
đź“° Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Fox piece specifies that advances in forensic science and DNA analysis were the key tools that recently identified Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. as the killer of Cathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski.
- Confirms the victims’ exact last‑seen date and location: Oct. 9, 1986, leaving a College of William & Mary computer lab in Williamsburg.
- Adds that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia concluded there would have been sufficient evidence to prosecute Wilmer federally had he been alive.
- Details that Robin Edwards, 14, was sexually assaulted, a fact not always explicit in prior summaries.
- Provides biographical and contextual detail about Thomas and Dowski (Thomas’s reputation for compassion and intelligence; Dowski as a talented musician with a promising future) and reiterates Wilmer’s profile as a Lancaster County fisherman frequenting marinas in Gloucester and Middlesex counties.
- Notes law enforcement has released images of Wilmer’s vehicles as they continue probing whether he is tied to additional unsolved crimes.