Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"The night gave cover to very secret acts, some more sinister in nature than others." — Ashley Flowers
"Using two types of method feels like a very passionate, hate-filled act." — Britt
"This one would be similar to the kind used to gut this." — Ashley Flowers
This episode delves into the harrowing case of Kathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski, whose bodies were discovered in a car off the Colonial Parkway in Virginia on October 12, 1986. The initial discovery by park rangers revealed a scene far more sinister than a traffic accident, with both women having their throats slit. The FBI was called in, and the subsequent investigation was complicated by the car being overturned, the presence of diesel fuel doused on the bodies, and attempts to set the vehicle ablaze. Autopsies revealed the women were strangled before their throats were cut, and a piece of plastic line was found in Kathleen's hair, believed to be the murder weapon. The investigation explored various motives, including hate crimes and crimes of passion, especially after discovering Kathleen and Becky were a couple, a fact not openly shared in the 1980s.
As leads related to ex-partners and known associates dried up, the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit was employed to profile the killer. Clues such as the potential use of nautical rope and diesel fuel, along with the nature of the knife wounds, suggested a perpetrator with a connection to boats or watermen. Despite these leads, no arrests were made. The narrative then shifts to another disturbing incident that occurred on September 20, 1987, approximately 20 miles from the first crime scene: the murder of 14-year-old Robin Edwards and 20-year-old David Nobling. Their bodies were found at Ragged Island, with evidence suggesting a violent encounter that may have involved sexual assault and shooting.
The investigation into Robin and David's deaths presented its own set of challenges, including conflicting witness accounts and theories about whether they were pulled over by someone in authority or encountered a perpetrator in a more secluded area. The presence of their belongings left in David's truck and the circumstances of their deaths led to speculation about a possible connection to the Colonial Parkway murders. The episode concludes by setting the stage for a subsequent episode, hinting at further disappearances and crimes in the area, leaving the listener with the chilling possibility of a serial perpetrator active on the Colonial Parkway.