– Suspect identified in women’s double murder at national park campsite FBI investigation
– Women’s 1996 double murder suspect identified at national park campsite FBI inquiry.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
After almost thirty years, a convicted serial rapist has been identified as the suspect in the 1996 double murder of two women in a Virginia national park, federal authorities announced. However, the suspect will not face charges as he passed away in prison six years ago.
On May 24, 1996, Laura “Lollie” Winans, 26, and Julianne “Julie” Williams, 24, were sexually assaulted and killed in a brutal attack at their Shenandoah National Park campsite, according to Christopher Kavanaugh, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia.
The two women had met through an organization that offered outdoor adventure and educational programs for women. They entered the park on May 19 and were last seen alive on the evening of May 24. Concerned relatives contacted the National Park Service when they failed to return home, and a week later, the bodies of Winans and Williams were discovered.
For years, the case remained unsolved until 2021 when a new FBI team was assigned to investigate. The team identified evidence suitable for retesting, leading to the extraction of DNA from several items that were submitted to the national law enforcement DNA database, CODIS.
The DNA profile obtained was a positive match to Walter “Leo” Jackson Sr., a convicted serial rapist with a history of kidnappings, rapes, and assaults. Jackson, an avid hiker, was known to frequent Shenandoah National Park.
“Even though we had this DNA match, we took additional steps and compared evidence from Lollie and Julie’s murders directly to a buccal swab containing Jackson’s DNA,” said FBI Richmond special agent in charge Stanley Meador. “Those results confirmed we had the right man and finally could tell the victims’ families we know who is responsible for this heinous crime.”
Just days after the double murder at Shenandoah National Park, Jackson kidnapped and raped a woman at knifepoint in Ohio. He repeated the same crime a month later, leading to his incarceration in 2011. Jackson passed away in prison in Ohio in March 2018.
Kavanaugh revealed that twenty-two years ago, a federal grand jury had indicted another man in the murders of Winans and Williams, but the case lacked forensic evidence. Subsequent testing of the crime scene evidence developed the DNA profile that ultimately led to Jackson’s identification.
Justice Finally Served
After years of uncertainty and unanswered questions, the families of Laura Winans and Julianne Williams can now have closure knowing that the perpetrator responsible for their tragic deaths has been identified. While the suspect may have escaped legal consequences, the identification of Walter “Leo” Jackson Sr. brings a sense of justice to a case that had remained unresolved for far too long.
The relentless efforts of law enforcement and forensic experts have finally brought the truth to light, providing a semblance of peace to the loved ones of the victims. The memory of Laura “Lollie” Winans and Julianne “Julie” Williams will always be cherished, and their legacy will live on as justice is served in their honor.
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1. Suspect identified in women’s double murder at national park campsite
2. FBI investigation into women’s 1996 double murder at national park campsite.
