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Some closure for family member of Colonial Parkway victim after learning of killer

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — Only On 10, we are hearing from the family of one of the victims in the Colonial Parkway serial killings.

Robin Edwards was just 14 years old when her body was found near the James River Bridge on the shore of the James River.

She was with 20-year-old David Knobling at the time, who was also found dead.

Recently, state police identified a suspect, who died several years ago.

10 On Your Side sat down with Janette Santiago to remember her older sister, Robin.

Back on Sept. 23, 1987, we were with Karl Knobling as he searched the shore for his son, David, who had been missing since Sunday Sept. 20.

10 On Your Side was also with him when the bodies of David and Robin were found.

“They did not want me to go down there, but I went,” Janette Santiago said.

The bodies were found along the shore, both had been shot, and it turned out Robin had been raped by the assailant.

We now know what happened and who did it — Alan Wilmer Sr.

Crime scene photos show David’s black pickup at the Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area Parking lot.

David and Robin were likely in the in the back, according to the investigation, which indicated that Alan Wilmer Sr. likely took them by surprise at gun point and marched them down to the James River, and David likely took off running because he was shot in the back. Robin would be shot too, and also raped, according to the investigation.

“I cannot imagine David just standing around watching that occur,” Janette Santiago said. “I think he took care of David first, and then he did what he did to Robin, and once her use was over, he took care of her.”

Santiago remembers Robin, 14-years-old, going on 21. She wants to remember her this way.

“She was a fire,” Santiago said. “Nothing scared her. You know, she was fearless and full of energy.”

10 On Your Side asked Janette, after 36 years and now finding out who the killer is, is there closure?

“There is closure in the sense that we know,” Santiago said, “and he cannot hurt anybody else, but now I predict that there is going to be more cases that he did, and more victims. … There is solace in the sense he cannot hurt anybody else. He died a miserable, horrible death by himself.”

We asked Santiago to remember Robin.

“I cannot imagine being 14, and going through that,” Santiago said. “I know how you feel being someone in her family, but I cannot. I cannot fathom that. It is just too much.”

For 36 years, the Edwards’ and Knoblings’ have been living with this torture. Now they know, and hopefully the other six families considered part of Colonial Parkway Murders will get that closure too.

By God’s grace they all hope and pray it happens soon.

We asked Santiago, after 36 years of not knowing, how it felt to stand up there at the Virginia State Police news conference, now knowing.

“I never thought I would see this day,” Santiago said. “Never. I thought that he was going to get away with it and never be known.”

Santiago told us Thursday before the Monday news conference they found out about Wilmer.

What did they say about the DNA connection?

“That he was definitely a DNA hit. A positive match, and they were using DNA from his raping Robin.”

Santiago also thinks about Alan Wilmer Sr.’s family, and the Jr. in the family. She has a friend who knows the family.

“He saw him coming out of the house and he was like, ‘what’s going on?’ And he said, “‘My ‘life is over. My dad is the Colonial Parkway killer. So, I feel bad for them because now they are victims.”

We learned after the news conference that Wilmer Sr. was a primary suspect in another Colonial Parkway murder case and the disappearance of Cassandra Hailey and Keith Call.

The FBI let him go because he passed a polygraph test just seven months after he killed Robin and David.

There is a belief that the FBI dropped the ball, but Santiago does not feel that way,

“Well, back then, we didn’t have the technologies that we have now,” she said. “Now, he would likely not have passed it, and technology and everything has to offer now. … DNA testing is better too.”