Janice Morgan

You might recognize me as the voice behind the investigative docuseries Broken and the true crime podcast Fear Thy Neighbor. I'll be your host for the next few weeks, and I'm thrilled to be here. We'd love to hear from you. Follow us on Instagram at Serial Killers Podcast and share your thoughts on this week's episode. Or if you're tuning in on the Spotify app, swipe up and leave a comment.

You might recognize me as the voice behind the investigative docuseries Broken and the true crime podcast Fear Thy Neighbor. I'll be your host for the next few weeks, and I'm thrilled to be here. We'd love to hear from you. Follow us on Instagram at Serial Killers Podcast and share your thoughts on this week's episode. Or if you're tuning in on the Spotify app, swipe up and leave a comment.

Today we're covering the murders of three young couples and the disappearance of another all along the same stretch of road over a three-year period. We'll dive into the 39-year hunt for answers and how a chance break in the case revealed a suspected serial killer who evaded the police until years after he died. Stay with us.

Today we're covering the murders of three young couples and the disappearance of another all along the same stretch of road over a three-year period. We'll dive into the 39-year hunt for answers and how a chance break in the case revealed a suspected serial killer who evaded the police until years after he died. Stay with us.

On October 12th, 1986, a jogger went running along the Colonial Parkway in Virginia. Trees covered the winding road and wood stretched out on either side. Overlooks and pull-offs allowed travelers to soak in their surroundings. In the early morning hours, it was peaceful for the jogger. As they moved along, they noticed a Honda Civic on an overlook.

On October 12th, 1986, a jogger went running along the Colonial Parkway in Virginia. Trees covered the winding road and wood stretched out on either side. Overlooks and pull-offs allowed travelers to soak in their surroundings. In the early morning hours, it was peaceful for the jogger. As they moved along, they noticed a Honda Civic on an overlook.

It looked like it was pushed off an embankment into the brush. The car seemed abandoned, the owner nowhere in sight. Concerned, the jogger called the police. When officers arrived to check out the car, they realized it wasn't abandoned. Two young women were in the car, one in the back seat and one in the hatchback. Both throats slashed, blood everywhere.

It looked like it was pushed off an embankment into the brush. The car seemed abandoned, the owner nowhere in sight. Concerned, the jogger called the police. When officers arrived to check out the car, they realized it wasn't abandoned. Two young women were in the car, one in the back seat and one in the hatchback. Both throats slashed, blood everywhere.

The car was doused in diesel fluid but not burned. Authorities presumed the suspect tried to set it on fire but didn't realize diesel is less flammable than standard gasoline. State investigators quickly identified the victims thanks to a wallet on the driver's seat floor. The woman in the trunk was 27-year-old Kathy Thomas. The woman in the back seat was 21-year-old Rebecca Dowski.

The car was doused in diesel fluid but not burned. Authorities presumed the suspect tried to set it on fire but didn't realize diesel is less flammable than standard gasoline. State investigators quickly identified the victims thanks to a wallet on the driver's seat floor. The woman in the trunk was 27-year-old Kathy Thomas. The woman in the back seat was 21-year-old Rebecca Dowski.

The authorities contacted Kathy's parents, who shared the heartbreaking news with her three brothers. Eventually, the family gave investigators some insight into Kathy and Rebecca. Kathy had just left her service in the U.S. Navy and was working as a stockbroker. She was thinking about going to graduate school.

The authorities contacted Kathy's parents, who shared the heartbreaking news with her three brothers. Eventually, the family gave investigators some insight into Kathy and Rebecca. Kathy had just left her service in the U.S. Navy and was working as a stockbroker. She was thinking about going to graduate school.

Rebecca was a business administration major at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg. She worked in the English department and at a nearby daycare. The two women were dating, though it's not clear whether Kathy's family told investigators this at the time. The Thomases were supportive, but the women had largely kept their relationship a secret.

Rebecca was a business administration major at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg. She worked in the English department and at a nearby daycare. The two women were dating, though it's not clear whether Kathy's family told investigators this at the time. The Thomases were supportive, but the women had largely kept their relationship a secret.

That's because, up until recently, Kathy had been enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and in 1986, it was illegal to be openly gay in the Navy. Even outside of the military, lesbian couples weren't welcome everywhere. It was a possible motive for the double homicide, but by all means, not the only motive. The FBI would find that out as they combed over the crime scene.

That's because, up until recently, Kathy had been enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and in 1986, it was illegal to be openly gay in the Navy. Even outside of the military, lesbian couples weren't welcome everywhere. It was a possible motive for the double homicide, but by all means, not the only motive. The FBI would find that out as they combed over the crime scene.

Now, the FBI's involvement may feel like a big escalation, but it was actually due to the crime's location. The Colonial Parkway travels through the Colonial National Historical Park, which is federal land, so this crime fell under their purview. Not long after the bodies were found, FBI Special Assistant Irvin Wells was briefed on the murders.

Now, the FBI's involvement may feel like a big escalation, but it was actually due to the crime's location. The Colonial Parkway travels through the Colonial National Historical Park, which is federal land, so this crime fell under their purview. Not long after the bodies were found, FBI Special Assistant Irvin Wells was briefed on the murders.

He learned the cause of death was strangulation, which means the women's throats were cut after they were killed. To Wells, that meant these murders were overkill, which is when an attacker is more violent than necessary to kill their victim. This overkill led Wells to wonder if the killer knew the women and whether their deaths were personal.

He learned the cause of death was strangulation, which means the women's throats were cut after they were killed. To Wells, that meant these murders were overkill, which is when an attacker is more violent than necessary to kill their victim. This overkill led Wells to wonder if the killer knew the women and whether their deaths were personal.