SUFFOLK, Va. – Virginia police have identified a deceased hunter and fisherman as a suspect in three unsolved murders dating back to the 1980s. Alan W. Wilmer Sr. was linked through DNA evidence to the 1987 murders of David Knobling and Robin Edwards in Isle Of Wight, and the 1989 murder of Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell in Hampton.
Wilmer Sr. passed away in December 2017 in Lancaster County, Virginia, at the age of 63. Officials said that if he were still alive, charges would be filed against him.
The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Director, Lt. Col. Tim Lyon, expressed gratitude to the families of the victims for their patience and understanding over the years. The identification of the killer brings hope of closure and peace to the families who have suffered.
The first murders connected to Wilmer happened in September 1987, when Knobling and Edwards were found shot to death along the shoreline of the Ragged Island Wildlife Management and Refuge Area. Edwards had been sexually assaulted. Their murders were part of a series of unsolved crimes known as the Colonial Parkway Murders, but no link has been found to the other cases.
The third murder police attributed to Wilmer happened in the city of Hampton on July 1, 1989, in which Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell, 29, was found dead after being sexually assaulted. Wilmer’s DNA was not obtained until after his death when it was used to link him to the crimes.
Wilmer, who worked as a fisherman and also ran a tree service business, was described as an avid hunter. The authorities are now urging anyone who may have had encounters with him to come forward and share any information that could aid in their investigation.
Authorities have asked the public to share any encounters or information they may have had with Wilmer. Anyone with information can contact the FBI or the Virginia State Police to assist in the case.
The identification of Wilmer as a suspect in the decades-old murders is a significant development in these long-standing unsolved cases, providing hope for the families of the victims to finally find closure.