A suspect in the double killing that took place in Isle of Wight County in 1987 was the subject of an announcement that was made on Monday, January 8, 2024, by the Virginia State Police and a number of other law enforcement agencies. Both of the victims, David L. Knobling, age 20, and Robin M. Edwards, age 14, were killed by gunfire in the neighbourhood of a nature preserve. Both of the victims were shot to death.
DNA evidence, according to the authorities, was important in narrowing down the suspect, Alan W. Wilmer Sr., of Northern Neck, Virginia, not only for the murders of Knobling-Edwards but also for the rape and strangulation murder of Teresa “Teri” Lynn Spaw Howell, who was 29 years old at the time. Both of these murders were committed by Wilmer Sr. Lieutenant Colonel Tim Lyon, who serves as the Director of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation for the Virginia State Police, has extended his gratitude to the families of the victims for maintaining their composure and understanding throughout the course of several decades.
Lyon issued the following statement: “Only those who have experienced the loss of a child in such a manner can truly understand the depth of their sorrow and the frustration that they feel over not knowing who was responsible for taking the life of their loved one in such a violent and cruel manner.”
The identification of the person responsible for the crime is something that I genuinely hope will provide them some sense of resolution and peace of mind. Given that Wilmer passed away in 2017, it is quite unlikely that he will be brought to justice for the crimes that he committed.
