Ep 121: The Murders of Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski and the Colonial Parkway Murders, Part 3

Crime Analyst

Laura Richards

True Crime

4.9 • 2.8K Ratings

🗓️ 14 March 2023

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Laura continues her conversation with Bill Thomas, brother of Cathy Thomas, and researcher, writer and advocate Kristin Dilley about the brutal murders of Cathy Thomas and Rebecca Dowski and the other three double murders often referred to as the ‘Colonial Parkway Murders.’ In this episode Bill shares some new information he discovered from further interviews with David Knobling’s brother about David Knobling and Robin Edwards case. Laura, Bill and Kristin also discuss new information about Daniel Lauer and Annamaria’s murders. You’ll hear this case being slowly unravelled and deconstructed in your ears, as Laura, Bill and Kristin get down to the actual facts and the evidence in the case. Can Cathy and Becky’s murders be solved? Is it linked to Lollie and Julie’s murders 10 years later? Listen to what Laura has to say as she shares her analysis about which cases she believes are linked and Bill and Kristin share their new thinking about the case. You can decide for yourself. Content warning: This is not an easy listen. Listener discretion is advised. #CathyThomas #BeckyDowski #RebeccaDowski #LollieWinans #JulieWilliams #Trailed #KathyrnMiles #DavidKnobling #RobinEdwards #RichardCall #CassandraHailey #DanielLauer #AnnamariaPhelps #Virginia #LanguageMatters #WomenMatter #CrimeAnalyst #Expert #Analysis #TrueCrime #Podcast #Crime #ColonialParkwayMurders Clip https://www.wtkr.com/2016/08/28/unsolved-colonial-parkway-murders-near-30th-anniversary-as-families-hold-out-hope?_amp=true Mind Over Murder https://mindovermurderpodcast.com CPM Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mindoverpodcast Subscribe to Crime Analyst You Tube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCksfRSwfwFqUCjcxKYju6_Q Crime Analyst Merch https://crime-analyst.myshopify.com/ Leave a Review Support Laura’s work and Crime Analyst by leaving a 5-star review here: https://www.crime-analyst.com/reviews/new/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	For 30 years, four of the most notorious and mysterious double murders in Virginia history
0:06.7	have remained unsolved. The colonial parkway murders have puzzled investigators,
0:11.6	but a family member of one victim says he's more optimistic than ever. The cases will be solved.
0:17.8	News 3's Brendan Pantons spoke with that family member in his first visit to the scene where his
0:23.0	sister was found murdered. The colonial parkway is one of the most scenic roads you'll take in
0:32.7	Virginia, connecting Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, but this winding road holds secrets.
0:44.1	Secrets that have now been kept for 30 years. It was fall 1986, Kathy Thomas and her girlfriend,
0:52.5	Becky Dowsky, wound up dead just off the parkway. Kathy's brother Bill recently visited the
0:58.9	crime scene for the first time. I think it's a significant anniversary. I know we're one of the
1:04.4	longest unsolved multiple homicides in the United States. From 1986 to 1989, three couples were
1:12.4	killed. A fourth is still missing, but presumed dead. They were stabbed or shot around the Williams
1:18.8	burg area. The killings have been dubbed the colonial parkway murders. Kathy Thomas and Becky
1:25.1	Dowsky were the first victims. The two were out one October night in Kathy's car. Unfortunately,
1:32.5	something transpired. They were ultimately murdered. They were strangled with rope. Their
1:41.5	throats were cut from beyond ear to ear. Thomas says authorities aren't sure where the murders
1:47.5	happened, but Kathy and Becky's bodies were found in their car down this embankment behind me,
1:54.8	closer to the York River. It was very hard to understand the brutality of it and not just why it
2:02.7	happened, but how it happened. The Thomas family watched as murder after murder after murder happened.
2:11.6	Are all four of these incidents related? That's been the subject of debate for decades. There are
2:17.9	some similarities in the cases. All four involved couples. The point has been made to me
2:24.4	build what are the chances of four double homicides happening, you know, in and around Williamsburg,
2:30.0	Virginia over this three year period. And I have to agree. I think that's pretty unusual.
	...

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