FBI solves Colonial Parkway murders thanks to new technology, bureau says

FBI investigators determined Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. murdered the two women last seen together Oct. 9, 1986, at a computer lab at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg.

Wilmer Sr., a local fisherman who died in 2017 at the age of 63, was connected to a series of at least six murders and disappearances of young people in Virginia between 1986 and 1989, according to the FBI.

He lived in Lancaster County and spent most of his time fishing and hunting, often docked at marinas in Gloucester and Middlesex counties.

The crimes were known as the Colonial Parkway murders, one of the longest cold case investigations in Virginia history.

Though the case remained unsolved, advances in forensic science and DNA analysis recently led to Wilmer's identification as the suspect allegedly responsible for the women's killings.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said that, had Wilmer been alive, evidence would have supported federal prosecution.

Two years later, on July 1, 1989, Howell was found dead in a wooded area after leaving a nearby nightclub.

FBI Norfolk said Thomas was a "vibrant young woman" known for her compassion, intelligence and close relationships with family and friends. 

They added Dowski was a talented musician and college student with a "promising future" and is remembered for her creativity, kindness and love of music.

"I am incredibly proud of the work done by the men and women of FBI Norfolk, whose tenacity and commitment to justice never wavered," Dominique Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI Norfolk Field Office, wrote in a statement. 

The Hampton Police Division thanked the community for its continued support and valuable information.

"I personally think that Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. is good for additional murders as well," Thomas told the outlet. "Right now, the way the laws are set up, even though Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. is a serial killer and has killed at least six people, including my sister, and her girlfriend Rebecca Dowski, we do not have the capability to upload his DNA into CODIS, because he was never convicted of a crime before he died in 2017."

The families are working to amend current laws to bring other unsolved cases to a close.

FBI Norfolk said investigators will continue to actively pursue unsolved cases related to the Colonial Parkway murders.

Fox News Digital's Chris Eberhart contributed to this report.