Press and media on the colonial parkway murders

In September 2009, it was discovered by CBS News affiliate WTKR that nearly 80 highly graphic true crime scene photographs of Colonial  Parkway Murders victims were used to instruct a class by a retired and now deceased former FBI photographer.  They ran an in-depth report, the first of its kind to appear in press and media.

In 2013, the Colonial Parkway Murders were profiled in the Investigation Discovery television series Dark Minds, with host and true crime author M. William Phelps

In October/November 2015, the Colonial Parkway Murders were featured in a  three-part true crime podcast series produced by student journalists at College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA

In August 2016, the Real Crime Profile true crime podcast began a four-part series of the Colonial Parkway Murders in RCP episodes 32-35.

In October 2016, there was extensive coverage of the 30th anniversary of  the Colonial Parkway Murders, including an 8 part multimedia true crime presentation by the Daily Press newspaper. This is one of the best articles on the Colonial Parkway Murders to appear in press and media.

On October 8, 2016, the Richmond Times Dispatch ran an in depth true crime article on the 30th anniversary of the Colonial Parkway Murders case:  After 30 Years, Relatives in Parkway Murders Hope for a Break in Cases

October 8, 2016, the Virginian-Pilot published in-depth true crime story, "The Killer Could Still be Out There: 30  Years Later, Still No Answers in the Colonial Parkway Murders" 

On May 4, 2018, the Colonial Parkway Murders were covered in featured panel discussion at the annual CrimeCon true crime convention in Nashville.  Moderated by former FBI Special Agent Maureen O'Connell, the panel featured family members and  advocates Joyce Call and Bill Thomas along with Blaine Pardoe, coauthor of a book on the case, "A Special Kind of Evil: The Colonial Parkway  Serial Killings."

On June 25, 2018, editors at Listverse released a new true crime article, "Ten Disturbing Facts About the Colonial Parkway Murders," drawing from press and media coverage of the case.

In July 2018, podcast True Crime Garage ran a two-part series on the Colonial Parkway Murders in TCG episodes 226 and 227. 

On July 23, 2018. WTVR News 6 in Richmond reported that there was  additional DNA evidence available for testing in the Colonial Parkway  Murders. This was the first time this development had appeared in press and media.

In August 2018, journalist Gian Quasar launched a six-part exploration  of the unsolved Colonial Parkway Murders entitled "The Phantom of the Colonial Parkway" for his true crime website The Quester Files.

In 1992, only 3 years after the apparent end of the Colonial Parkway Murders, Virginia based writer Patricia Cornwell released All that Remains, the third in her popular series of Kay Scarpetta books.  Many people noted the strong similarities to the Colonial Parkway Murders, and the fact that Ms. Cornwell was working as a computer analyst in the Commonwealth of Virginia Medical Examiners Office at the time of the murders raised addition additional red flags.  As our own Bill Thomas said in interviews, "The book is not based on the Colonial Parkway Murders, it is the Colonial Parkway Murders.  I was shocked when I read it; I could have been reading my sister Cathy's autopsy report. The good news is that I paid 75 cents for my used copy, and I certainly got full value for my 75 cents." 

In 1996, the unsolved case of the Colonial Parkway Murders was presented on national television on the true crime program Real Stories of the Highway Patrol, a series that aired from 1993-1999. Actor Steve Altes portrayed the killer.

In 2007, the disappearance and presumed murder of Cassandra Hailey and Keith Call was featured in the Investigation Discovery true crime program Sensing Murder.  Investigators brought in psychics Pam Coronado and Laurie Campbell to gain new insights into the crimes. The show discussed that this disappearance may be part of the Colonial  Parkway Murders. Psychic Pam Coronado felt that the killings were all  related but that the locations of the cars were not where the actual  violence occurred.

In 2008, E! Entertainment Television presented a full-length true crime documentary, THS Investigates Serial Killers on the Loose, which features a segment on the Colonial Parkway Murders. 

In 2009, investigative reporter Mike Mather of WTKR News 3 wrote a special report for the Richmond Times Dispatch headlined "Evidence in the Colonial Parkway Murders Destroyed" outlining how rape kits had been discarded by the FBI. This marked the first time this true crime news had been reported in press and media.

In January 2010, a team from FBI Norfolk and FBI Headquarters met with the Colonial Parkway Murders victims' families to update them on the status of the investigation.  Families conducted interviews with press and media after the meeting.

In 2010, the Daily Virginian-Pilot ran a true crime photo essay on the unsolved case entitled "A Cold Case Heats Up: The Colonial Parkway Murders"

In June 2010, the Colonial Parkway Murders victims' families requested the assistance of a retired Milwaukee Police Department homicide detective Steve Spingola, often seen on Cold Justice with Kelly Siegler.  Spingola published Predators on the Parkway, a 29-page true crime analysis that detailed his findings. The article is available on Amazon.

In 2011, author Michelle McNamara, author of "I'll Be Gone In the Dark," on the Golden State Killer, later an HBO series, published a two-part exploration of the Colonial Parkway Murders in her "True Crime Diary."

In 2015 author Renee MacKenzie used the true crime story of the Colonial Parkway Murders as a backdrop for her work of lesbian fiction "23 Miles."

On July 3, 2018. true crime journalist Mike Morford debuted a new  podcast "The Murder In My Family." His first guest was victim advocate  Bill Thomas discussing the loss of his sister Cathy Thomas and her  girlfriend Rebecca Dowski as part of the Colonial Parkway Murders.

On October 26, 2018, Dateline NBC released "Dateline Crime Capsule: The Colonial Parkway Murders" which offered a look into the history of the true crime case. 

On December 3, 2018, the popular true crime podcast Crime Junkie launched a two-part report on the Colonial Parkway Murders.

On December 22, 2018, veteran reporter Mike Holtzclaw wrote an article for the Daily Press marking Colonial Parkway Murders whistleblower Fred Atwell's passing  titled:  "Former Deputy's Death Leave Parkway Victim's Families  Wondering What He Knew."

On April 25, 2019, the New York Times published a story on the use of DNA in the Golden State Killer case, the Colonial Parkway Murders and other unsolved homicides titled  Sooner or Later, Your Cousin's DNA is Going to Solve a Murder

On July 30, 2019, the Washington Post Magazine ran a cover story on Bill Thomas and the search for answers in the Colonial Parkway Murders and other cases titled Victims, Families and America's Thirst for True Crime Stories

On September 12, 2019, the "Hunt A Killer" true crime blog published a case  analysis under the title "Unsolved: The Colonial Parkway Murders."

On October 9, 2019, true crime podcasters "Crawlspace" began a two part  exploration of the unsolved Colonial Parkway Murders.  The episodes were also broadcast on their sister podcast, "Missing Maura Murray."

In January 2020, journalist Bill Huffman covered the Colonial Parkway Murders as part of his "Who Killed...?" podcast series on unsolved  true crime cases.

In September 2020, the Unresolved true crime podcast released an episode on the Colonial Parkway Murders which featured a lengthy history and analysis  of the unsolved case.

September 21, 2021  Thursday night was theirs — a time when they could be alone together  despite living so far apart, despite living in such an unwelcoming world  — every Thursday night, they were able to live as they wanted. By Quinn Zane

On September 17, 2020, the publication "Forensic Genomics" published an  article by family member Bill Thomas covering the Colonial Parkway  Murders entitled "The Family Perspective."

In December 2020, the "Mind Over Murder" true crime podcast hosted by Colonial Parkway Murders advocates Bill Thomas and Kristin Dilley began a  three-part series on "Victim Advocacy in the Colonial Parkway Murders"  in their episodes 49-51.  They are now continuing with in depth coverage of the case including many exclusive interviews.

February 4, 2021  In anticipation of the "Lover's Lane Murders" television series making its debut, the Oxygen Network released a series of short videos including "Why Would Law Enforcement Not  Release All Records On a Case Like the Colonial Parkway Murders?

February 4, 2021  In anticipation of the "Lover's Lane Murders" television series making its debut, the Oxygen Network released a series of short videos including  "Who Were The Colonial Parkway Murder Victims? 8 Young People All Killed In Virginia Within 4 Years."       

February 4, 2021  Another video released by Oxygen as part of the release of the "Lover's Lane Murders"  true crime television series on the Colonial Parkway Murders: "Was the Colonial Parkway Killer Pretending to be Law Enforcement?"

February 9, 2021  Access covered the "Lovers Lane Murders" true crime television series about the Colonial Parkway Murders.

In February 2021, the Oxygen Network debuted a new four-part true crime series, "Lovers Lane Murders"  covering the Colonial Parkway Murders. The four episodes feature  former FBI profiler Jim Clemente, as well as investigators including former FBI Agent Maureen O'Connell and former prosecutor Loni Coombs, together  with crime scene reconstruction expert Dr. Laura Pettler.  Currently running on the Oxygen Network, the Oxygen app, Hulu, Amazon, iTunes and many other platforms. Watch "Lovers Lane Murders."

February 11, 2021, Fox News released "Virginia’s horrifying Colonial Parkway murders can still be solved decades later with new leads, doc reveals" as part of their coverage of the Oxygen series.

In March 2021, WAVY TV 10 News Investigation host Andy Fox continued his excellent coverage of the Colonial Parkway Murders with a new installment entitled "Could these two cold cases be part of the Colonial Parkway murders?"  The story explores the murders of Brian Pettinnger and Laurie Ann Powell, two young people who worked for a Gloucester, Virginia based security company, Liberty Security. The small business, owned by former Deputy Sheriff Jon Knight Hawthorne and New Zealand native ans convicted criminal Ronald John Little, has often been linked to the Colonial Parkway Murders.

June 2021: Cathy Thomas' brother and true crime advocate Bill Thomas was joined by Lover's Lane Murders investigator Loni Coombs and Executive Producer David Karabinas at CrimeCon in Austin, Texas to discuss the Colonial Parkway Murders and the impact of the Lovers Lane Murders series on Oxygen. Here is some of the coverage from the CrimeCon panel.

July 23, 2021: Four brutal double homicides near Virginia’s scenic Colonial Parkway  have remained unsolved for decades. Relatives believe the case can be  cracked. By Justin Rohrlich