The name Cathy White—often searched interchangeably with Cathleen Thomas—carries a heavy weight in the world of true crime. Honestly, it’s one of those cases that feels like a gut punch every time a new lead surfaces. For decades, the death of Cathy White was a central pillar of the Colonial Parkway Murders, a series of killings that haunted Virginia’s scenic routes throughout the late 1980s.
It wasn’t just a random act of violence. It was personal. It was brutal. And for a long time, it was a complete mystery that felt like it would never be solved.
The Night Everything Changed
On October 12, 1986, the bodies of Cathy Thomas (White) and her girlfriend, Rebecca Ann Dowski, were discovered in Cathy's 1980 Honda Civic. The car was perched on an embankment off the Colonial Parkway. It looked like someone had tried to push it into the York River to hide the evidence, but the brush caught it.
The scene was harrowing.
Cathy and Becky had been bound. Their throats were slit with such force they were nearly decapitated. The killer had even attempted to douse the car in diesel fuel and set it ablaze, though the fire never took hold. This detail—the use of diesel—is something experts like Bill Thomas, Cathy’s brother, have pointed to for years as a specific signature. Diesel doesn’t ignite like gasoline; it’s a fuel often used by commercial fisherman or people familiar with heavy machinery.
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Who Was Cathy White?
People who knew her didn't just see a victim. They saw a 27-year-old United States Naval Academy graduate with a world of potential. She was a stockbroker. She was driven. At the time, being in a same-sex relationship wasn't as widely accepted as it is now, which led many to speculate if the murders were a targeted hate crime.
For years, the investigation stalled. The FBI and Virginia State Police hit wall after wall.
A Major Breakthrough in 2024
If you’ve been following this case for a while, you know that 2024 changed everything. Using advanced DNA technology—the kind of forensic genealogy that caught the Golden State Killer—authorities finally linked a suspect to the death of Cathy White and Rebecca Dowski.
The man was Alan Wilmer Sr.
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Wilmer was a local fisherman who lived on a boat. He fit the profile perfectly: he had access to diesel fuel and nautical rope, and he was known to be in the area. The kicker? He died in 2017. He never had to face a judge. He never had to look Cathy’s family in the eye.
Why This Case Still Matters
Even with a suspect named, the wounds haven't fully healed. There are still debates about whether Wilmer acted alone. Some investigators, including former FBI agents, have theorized that the level of control maintained over two athletic, capable women suggested two attackers.
Also, the "Law Enforcement" theory hasn't totally vanished from public discourse. When Cathy’s body was found, her wallet was out, as if she were showing ID to someone in authority. It's a chilling thought.
What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of people think the Colonial Parkway Murders are "closed" because of the Alan Wilmer DNA link. That's not quite right. While he is the primary suspect in the Thomas-Dowski case and the 1987 murder of Teresa Howell, there are several other victims in the Parkway series—like Keith Call and Cassandra Hailey—who haven't been definitively linked to Wilmer yet.
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It's a messy, ongoing web of grief and forensic science.
Moving Forward: What You Can Do
If you’re interested in justice for these families, the best thing you can do is stay informed.
- Support Cold Case Initiatives: Forensic genealogy is expensive. Organizations that fund DNA testing for old cases are the only reason we know Wilmer’s name today.
- Listen to Primary Sources: Podcasts like Mind Over Murder, co-hosted by Bill Thomas, provide the most accurate, non-sensationalized updates on the investigation.
- Report Tips: Even now, if you lived in the Virginia Tidewater area in the 80s and remember Alan Wilmer Sr. or his blue pickup truck with the "Easy Rider" decal, the FBI still wants to hear from you.
The death of Cathy White isn't just a footnote in a history book. It’s a reminder that even decades later, the truth has a way of coming to the surface. We might not have a trial, but we finally have a name.