True crime Friday: Alan Wade Wilmer, Sr. - The Colonial Parkway Killer
Alan Wade Wilmer Sr., was a serial killer who went undiscovered for decades. Wilmer may have killed up to 20 people. He died alone in his Virginia, Northern Neck home over six years ago. His body laid undiscovered for weeks. He was discovered by a delivery driver who saw the door to the house was open, went to check and saw the serial killer’s body. The delivery driver called the police.
The State Medical Examiner’s Office was called to investigate, collecting Wilmer’s DNA to positively identify the decomposing remains and determine the cause of death. Alan Wade Wilmer Sr., died of a hardening of the arteries, the Medical Examiner’s Office stated.
The DNA that examiners collected in 2017 ended up being crucial evidence a few years later. That’s when the FBI and the Virginia State Police sought Wilmer’s genetic material as part of their investigation into the Colonial Parkway murders. The serial killer had murdered three people and his identity went undiscovered for decades!
Early Childhood
Not much is known about Wilmer’s childhood. If I had to guess with the record of serial killers it was not a good one. Nobody wakes up one day and think I am going to become a serial killer. This kind of killer is generally made not born. With neglect, abuse and poverty sometimes playing a crucial role. Not everyone will become a killer because of horrible circumstances it depends on the predisposition of the person.The Victims of Alan Wade Wilmer Sr.
- David Knobling, 20, found murdered.
- Robin Edwards, 14, found murdered.
- Teresa Lynn Howell, 29, found murdered.
Suspected victims who were found in the area in 1986-1988. They are as follows:
Visionary killers suffer from psychotic breaks from reality.
Mission-Oriented killers justify their actions as ridding the world of perceived undesirable people. The people commonly referred to as the less dead.
Hedonistic killers seeks thrills, lust, material gains and pleasure from seeing their victims suffer.
Power-Control killers loves to gain control and exert power over their victims. They as children felt powerless so their goal is to gain power by controlling others by any means necessary.
DNA links fisherman to 3 killings, including woman who was sexually assaulted, strangled: Police (msn.com)
Serial killer - Wikipedia
- Cathleen Marian Thomas
- Rebecca Ann Dowski
- Richard Keith Call
- Cassandra Lee Hailey
- Ann Marie Phelps
- Daniel Lauer
How DNA Caught a Serial Killer
The Virginia Department of Forensic Science matched Wilmer’s DNA to one of the Colonial Parkway cases. In 1987 he murdered of 20-year-old David Knobling and 14-year-old Robin Edwards. Teresa Lynn Howell, 29, was last seen leaving the Zodiac Club, then a popular nightspot on East Mercury Boulevard at 2:30 a.m. July in 1987, the Hampton Police stated a construction worker found the York County woman’s body seven hours later in a wooded area in the 500 block of Butler Farm Road. The site was being developed as part of Hampton Roads Center. Howell had been sexually assaulted and strangled.The Golden Age of Serial Killers
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has stated that the era of serial killing became prominent from 1970-2000. Serial killing has been present in the world for generations but were generally mislabeled as devil worshipers, wild animals or a one off incident. Serial killings spiked during this time because of proximity and offered anonymity. Serial killings have been on the declined mainly because the hardening of the parole system, increased incarceration, the crack epidemic and a decrease in lead exposure. One would also add DNA testing, CC Cameras and Smart Phones.Categories of Serial Killers
Most serial killers fall into four categories: visionary, mission-oriented, hedonistic and power control.Visionary killers suffer from psychotic breaks from reality.
Mission-Oriented killers justify their actions as ridding the world of perceived undesirable people. The people commonly referred to as the less dead.
Hedonistic killers seeks thrills, lust, material gains and pleasure from seeing their victims suffer.
Power-Control killers loves to gain control and exert power over their victims. They as children felt powerless so their goal is to gain power by controlling others by any means necessary.
Lady Justice
Alan Wade Wilmer, Sr., died in 2017 at the age of 63. He went unpunished and died before the justice system could make its judgements. The families of the victims now know who murdered their loved ones.Reference
What we know about the man suspected in Colonial Parkway murders (pilotonline.com)DNA links fisherman to 3 killings, including woman who was sexually assaulted, strangled: Police (msn.com)
Serial killer - Wikipedia