‘It’s unbelievable’: Northern Neck community reacts to suspect in local homicides
LANCASTER, Va. (WAVY) – It came as a complete shock to the ones who knew Alan Wilmer Sr.
Police recently connected him to one of the “Colonial Parkway” double murders and a homicide in Hampton.
“It’s unbelievable looking at the man as I saw him, and as I knew him, I wouldn’t have expected Alan Wilmer to do anything like that,” said Tommy Hemans, Wilmer’s neighbor.
It was DNA that ultimately linked Wilmer, who died in 2017, to the brutal double murder.
More coverage: Cases Closed: Deceased man ID’d as suspect in decades old local homicides
“As a result of the forensic findings. Both the Isle of Wight County Commonwealth’s Attorney and the City of Hampton Commonwealth’s Attorney confirm that if Allen Wilmer Sr. was alive today, he would be charged in all three of these homicides. Now, many in this region will recognize the Isle of Wight County double homicide as one that occurred during a series of double murders collectively known as the Colonial Parkway murders,” said Corinne Geller from Virginia State Police.
Hemans said Wilmer lived right down the street from him in Lancaster, Virginia, on the Northern Neck.
“Alan was a very peaceful person as far as I could see,” Hemans said.
He even remembers his dogs.
“He did a lot of hunting. He had an affection for dogs. He always had really pretty dogs,” Hemans said.
He’d even help neighbors, according to Hemans.
“He was a nice person. He did a lot of work for people around here. he was cutting trees all the time. That was his business. He was cutting trees for almost everyone in this cove colony area,” he said.
Hemans recalls seeing something odd a couple of days ago.
“I saw the police cars a couple of days ago and they were lined up all the way around,” he said.
Hemans said it caught his attention because it is such quiet area.
10 On Your Side traveled to Lancaster County. The home neighbors said he lived in had broken glass around the door frame and boards on the door.
VSP told 10 On Your Side the presence was directly related to Wilmer Sr. and the investigation efforts.
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