Divers search Colonial Parkway waters but find no new evidence connected to infamous 1980s murders

Virginia State Police (VSP) conducted dives on Tuesday to search for new information connected to the infamous 1980s Colonial Parkway murders, but no new evidence was found.

The effort came on the heels of new revelations regarding the killings. Last month, VSP, Hampton Police and the FBI Norfolk field office named Alan Wilmer Sr. as the person responsible for three murders near the Parkway in the 1980s. Forensic evidence linked Wilmer to the Isle of Wight double homicide of David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14, as well as the City of Hampton murder of Teresa Howell, 29.

• Four young couples were killed in the area between 1986 and 1989, usually in Lovers Lane areas. While many believe the murders are all connected, police have not yet linked Wilmer to the other homicides. The investigation, however, is ongoing.

Search and recovery team divers led by the state police – along with police departments from Chesapeake, Hampton, Suffolk and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) – carried out the exploratory mission in the waterways near the Colonial Parkway in York County.

• The underwater dives were carried out “in response to ongoing construction along the parkway” as well as to follow up on new information from investigators, according to Sgt. Michelle Anaya, a VSP spokesperson. 
• Ongoing construction in the area is part of a multi-year initiative to rehabilitate a 10-mile section of the Parkway. The work is expected to be complete by June 2026, according to the National Park Service.

VSP is continuing to pursue all investigative leads on the Colonial Parkway homicides. Anyone with information related to Wilmer or any of the murders is asked to contact the FBI by calling 1-800-FBI or leaving a tip online. Tips can also be submitted to VSP or via the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.