The logo for the Daily Beast's Obsessed website. It reads: 'Obsessed: What to Watch, Binge, See, & Skip'
DAILY BEAST
Membership call to action crossword iconCrosswordNewsletters
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Obsessed
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • Reality TV
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDB's Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      CULTURE
      • Power Trip
      • Fashion
      • Books
      • Royalist
      TECH
      • Disinformation
      SCOUTED
      • Clothing
      • Technology
      • Beauty
      • Home
      • Pets
      • Kitchen
      • Fitness
      • I'm Looking For
      BEST PICKS
      • Best VPNs
      • Best Gaming PCs
      • Best Air Fryers
      COUPONS
      • Vistaprint Coupons
      • Ulta Coupons
      • Office Depot Coupons
      • Adidas Promo Codes
      • Walmart Promo Codes
      • H&M Coupons
      • Spanx Promo Codes
      • StubHub Promo Codes
      Products
      NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
      FOLLOW US
      GOT A TIP?

      SEARCH

      HOMEPAGE
      Cold Casesfranchise orientation badge

      Inside the Maddening Search for Virginia’s Colonial Parkway Serial Killer

      COLD CASE

      Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Photos Courtesy Bill Thomas

      Four brutal double homicides near Virginia’s scenic Colonial Parkway have remained unsolved for decades. Relatives believe the case can be cracked.

      Justin Rohrlich

      Reporter

      Updated Nov. 25, 2022 10:57AM EST / Published Jul. 23, 2021 11:22PM EDT 

      Around dusk on Oct. 12, 1986, a passerby happened upon a white Honda Civic leaning nose-first over the edge of a 15-foot embankment just off Virginia’s picturesque Colonial Parkway. The car looked like it had been driven, or perhaps pushed, into a thick stand of woodsy brush along the York River, and was mostly hidden from view to anyone driving by.

      Something obviously wasn’t right, and the man called police. Responding officers thought at first they were dealing with a drunk driving accident. The car doors wouldn’t open and a park ranger on the scene shattered the Honda’s rear window in an attempt to rescue the two women trapped inside. But first responders soon realized they wouldn’t be saving two lives, but recovering two bodies.

      The car was registered to the driver, 27-year-old U.S. Naval Academy graduate Cathleen Thomas, whose remains were found underneath the hatchback. The passenger, 21-year-old Rebecca Dowski, was a senior at the nearby College of William & Mary. Her body was found in the backseat.

      Justin Rohrlich

      Justin Rohrlich

      Reporter

      @justinrohrlichjustin.rohrlich@thedailybeast.com

      Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.

      DAILY BEAST
      • Cheat Sheet
      • Politics
      • Entertainment
      • Media
      • World
      • Innovation
      • U.S. News
      • Scouted
      • Travel
      • Subscription
      • Crossword
      • Newsletters
      • Podcasts
      • About
      • Contact
      • Tips
      • Jobs
      • Advertise
      • Help
      • Privacy
      • Code of Ethics & Standards
      • Diversity
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Copyright & Trademark
      • Sitemap
      • Best Picks
      • Coupons
      • Coupons:
      • Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
      • HP Coupon Codes
      • Chewy Promo Codes
      • Nordstrom Rack Coupons
      • NordVPN Coupons
      • JCPenny Coupons
      • Nordstrom Coupons
      • Samsung Promo Coupons
      • Home Depot Coupons
      • Hotwire Promo Codes
      • eBay Coupons
      • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
      © 2023 The Daily Beast Company LLC