SUFFOLK, Virginia – A fisherman from Virginia who passed away in 2017 has been identified as a suspect in three unsolved homicides from the late 1980s. Police have linked Alan W. Wilmer Sr., 63, to the murders of David Knobling, 20, and Robin Edwards, 14, at Colonial Parkway in September 1987. Additionally, Wilmer has been accused of the murder of Teresa Lynn Spaw Howell, 29, in Hampton in July 1989.
After Wilmer’s death, DNA evidence connected him to the victims, as he was not a convicted felon and his DNA was not in the law enforcement databases. The Virginia Department of Forensic Science issued a ‘Certificate of Analysis’ confirming the genetic match between Wilmer and the victims in 2023.
Corinne Geller, a spokeswoman for the Virginia State Police, acknowledged that no forensic or physical evidence currently links Wilmer to the remaining six murders, although those cases remain open. Geller also mentioned that investigators are actively pursuing leads on the other killings and have not ruled out Wilmer’s potential involvement.
At a news conference, Geller read aloud a joint statement from the families of Knobling and Edwards, expressing gratitude to the investigating law enforcement agencies. The families mentioned that they have lived in fear for 36 years, but now have a sense of relief and justice knowing that Wilmer can no longer victimize another person.
The Virginia State Police spokeswoman also confirmed that no forensic or physical evidence currently links Wilmer to the remaining six murders at the Colonial Parkway. However, the investigations into those cases are still ongoing.