VA VA - Trooper Johnny Bowman, 31, Manassas, 19 Aug 1984

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OkieGranny

OkieGranny

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http://augustafreepress.com/new-evidence-emerges-unsolved-1984-murder-state-trooper/

Federal, state and local law enforcement are hopeful that advancements in forensic technology can shed new light on the 30-year-old unsolved murder of Virginia State Police Trooper Johnny Rush Bowman.

Testing performed by the FBI Laboratory on forensic evidence originally submitted in 1984, was retested in the late 1990s and, most recently, in 2010. As a result of the latest testing by the FBI, new information regarding DNA found at the scene has generated extra information for investigators.

In the early morning hours of Aug. 19, 1984, Trooper Bowman answered the front door of his residence in the Bristoe Station development of Manassas, Va., and was repeatedly stabbed by an unknown assailant(s). Trooper Bowman’s wife was present during the attack and placed the 911 call for assistance. The attacker(s) fled on foot from the Bowman residence, leaving behind eyeglasses, a wig, and a construction hard hat. Trooper Bowman, 31, died shortly thereafter at a local hospital. In addition to his wife, Trooper Bowman left behind a 2-year-old daughter.
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http://washingtonexaminer.com/task-force-seeking-more-leads-in-troopers-slaying/article/117702

The crime has had some odd twists. In 1986, it was revealed that authorities had focused on another member of the state police, a close friend of Bowman's named Perry L. Worrell. Worrell was put on administrative leave and left the agency shortly after Bowman's death.

In 2006, a Fairfax County man was accused of threatening a special agent investigating Bowman's death after members of the task force contacted the man's son-in-law.
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FB memorial page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Loving-Memory-of-VA-State-Trooper-Johnny-Rush-Bowman/253711357991321
 
Sept. 25 2018 rbbm.
FBI offers $50K reward for info on cold case murder of state trooper
"MANASSAS, Va. (WHSV) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to a break in the 1984 cold case of a Virginia State Trooper who was brutally murdered at his home.

virginia+state+trooper+murdered.jpg

On August 19, 1984, around 4:15 a.m., the doorbell rang at Virginia State Trooper Johnny Rush Bowman's home in Manassas. When Bowman answered the door, an unknown assailant stabbed him 45 times.

Bowman, unarmed, engaged in a struggle with the assailant, waking up his 2-year-old daughter, who had been sleeping in the home. His wife, brother, and sister-in-law were also in the home at the time.

The killer fled, leaving behind sunglases, a wig, and a construction hard hat. Bowman died later from his injuries.

The Virginia State Police, the Manassas City Police Department, and the FBI all investigated tirelessly, but never made an arrest.

According to the FBI, it's the only unsolved killing of a Virginia State Trooper in the commonwealth's history."
"Anyone with information is asked to contact the Virginia State Police Fairfax Field Office at 703-803-2676 or bcigid7@vsp.virginia.gov, or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). You may also contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. All tips can remain anonymous.


The $50,000 reward will be offered for any information leading to an arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

You can find more information about the Bowman case on the FBI's website Seeking Info in Cold Case Murder — FBI"
 
Cold case killing of Virginia State Trooper prompts new plea from officer's daughter, reward from FBI
"The killing of the 31-year-old off-duty officer spurred one of the most extensive and costly murder investigations in the history of the Virginia State Police, with more than 3,000 people in 41 states interviewed by police, the Washington Post reported at the time. The FBI said it became involved in the case because the murder is considered a line-of-duty death.

Bowman's daughter, who was two years old at the time, was awakened in the early-morning attack that ended her father's life. Now an officer with the Manassas Police Department, Nikki Bowman said in a video released by the FBI that her father's memory inspired her to pursue a career in law enforcement and drives her need to find resolution in his case.

1537981827401.jpg

Virginia State Trooper Johnny Rush Bowman and his daughter, Nikki Bowman. (FBI)

"Thirty-four years is a long time of waiting. My life is a constant struggle. Every day is hard, and I think it’s time for the roles to be reversed," she says. "Their life should be hard. You need to own up to what you’ve done. I should be able to live happily after this but I can't do that without answers."
 
I was a police officer in VA when this happened and remember it well. As the news article quoted above indicated a fellow trooper was the original suspect and my still be. Investigators felt they did not have enough evidence to charge him. I believe this is the only unsolved killing of a VA State Trooper in the Deprtment's history.
 
FBI Offering $50,000 Reward for Information Leading to Arrest of Person(s) Responsible

The FBI Washington Field Office, along with the Virginia State Police, Manassas City Police Department, and the Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, continues to seek the public’s assistance in identifying the unknown individual(s) involved in the murder of Virginia State Trooper Johnny Rush Bowman, which took place 35 years ago today. The FBI is committed to investigating violent crime and bringing justice to the victims’ families, no matter if the crime happened yesterday or 35 years ago.
Marking the 35th Anniversary of the Murder of Virginia State Trooper Johnny Rush Bowman — FBI
 
The killing was nothing short of vicious – an assailant stabbed Trooper Bowman between 40 to 45 times before dawn on August 19, 1984. His wife, daughter and relatives were inside their Manassas home when Bowman awoke to answer the door.

His daughter would grow up to become a Manassas police officer, who has now spent years of her life reviewing old newspaper clips, accounts from investigations and her own memories.

“I don't know many law enforcement officers who would answer their door at that time, with no protection,” she said. “Especially if you've got a child in the home.”

Investigators have assessed whether Bowman knew his killer. Yet after 35 years, there are no arrests and no conclusions.

The FBI is investigating the case since the matter is classified as an officer death in the line of duty. The Bureau is now offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest in the case.

“If you're concerned what people may think of you coming forward after all these years, and admitting to having involvement in something of this nature, it can't be any worse than what I've thought of you for the past 35 years,” Nikki Bowman said.

“You've had 35 years to exist among society as a decent human being. And to me, that's not a just consequence for someone how has ended the life of another.”
Murder of Virginia State Police trooper still unsolved, 35 years later
 
imstilla.grandma said:
The killing was nothing short of vicious – an assailant stabbed Trooper Bowman between 40 to 45 times before dawn on August 19, 1984. His wife, daughter and relatives were inside their Manassas home when Bowman awoke to answer the door.

His daughter would grow up to become a Manassas police officer, who has now spent years of her life reviewing old newspaper clips, accounts from investigations and her own memories.

“I don't know many law enforcement officers who would answer their door at that time, with no protection,” she said. “Especially if you've got a child in the home.”

Investigators have assessed whether Bowman knew his killer. Yet after 35 years, there are no arrests and no conclusions.

The FBI is investigating the case since the matter is classified as an officer death in the line of duty. The Bureau is now offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest in the case.

“If you're concerned what people may think of you coming forward after all these years, and admitting to having involvement in something of this nature, it can't be any worse than what I've thought of you for the past 35 years,” Nikki Bowman said.

“You've had 35 years to exist among society as a decent human being. And to me, that's not a just consequence for someone how has ended the life of another.”
Murder of Virginia State Police trooper still unsolved, 35 years later
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Thanks for the post. My view is whoever targeted Trooper Bowman was in a rush to see him dead. I do not know for certain but he may have encountered someone 'up to no good' while carrying out his duties. Perhaps stopping a suspicious vehicle and knowing details about someone. Of course it might be another reason but that would be my theory. With Trooper Bowman answering the door it was in the days before mobile phones and might have felt obliged to open the door in case it was a member of the public who needed his help and so was doing his civil duty as such. The killer may have banked on this. Interesting the killer chose a knife as the murder weapon.
 
TedMac said:
I was a police officer in VA when this happened and remember it well. As the news article quoted above indicated a fellow trooper was the original suspect and my still be. Investigators felt they did not have enough evidence to charge him. I believe this is the only unsolved killing of a VA State Trooper in the Department's history.
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Just a couple of thoughts, perhaps fellow WS members can look in to. From a 1986 WP article "Police have speculated that Bowman was killed as a result of "some personal problems" involving the assailant, the dead trooper and his wife Terri."
…"Robert C. Martin, the investigator in charge of the case, said Monday that police are "99.4 percent certain" that another state trooper killed Johnny Rush Bowman before dawn Aug. 19, 1984. Several law enforcement sources said the trooper under investigation is Perry L. Worrell, who joined the state police in 1977 and is on an unpaid leave of absence." …"In an interview Monday, Worrell's wife Melanie referred to "what we've been through," without elaborating."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...19-dde0-4d01-8bd1-cc13660b1664/?noredirect=on

Just hypothetical, but would the "personal problems" between Troopers Bowman, Trooper Worrell, and Bowman's wife Terri that police investigators referenced in the article, be a tactful way of indicating the possibility of some type of extra-marital romantic interest? Would Worrell's wife Melanie have had any awareness or involvement in the "personal problems" referenced by police investigators? According to the same WP article, "The Bowmans and the Worrells had been "friends for a very, very long time,"

Apparently the "trooper under investigation", Perry L. Worrell died at age 59 in 2015. Worrell, Perry Lynn
Did he take any knowledge of what happened alone with him to his grave? Do any of his survivors know what happened?

Also from the same WP article "Robert C. Martin, the investigator in charge of the case, said that he is ..."certain that [the] homicide will be solved in view of the fact that more than one person knows who killed Bowman."

If the FBI's $50k reward offer for information leading to a "conviction" were to be relevant, it would have to lead to a conviction of another person than Worrell, since he is deceased. Perhaps Worrell was not involved. Or maybe he was, and LE knows there cannot be a conviction at this point, but they are appealing to others who know the details of the crime to bring some "closure".
 
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Random thoughts..fwiw.
Wondering why the killer even bothered to wear a disguise?
It was 4ish am, so if the killer was known to the victim, would he not be more likely to open the door to someone he knew, rather than a stranger wearing a wig and helmet at that odd time?
Was the purpose of the stabbing (approx 40 times!) to kill JB, or simply because the perp was really angry or crazy and they just enjoyed stab,stab,stabbing?
If the stabbing was just to straight up kill JB, one would expect that a fellow trooper would know how to do that more efficiently.
Could the killer be a female?
Did Trooper Johnny Bowman discover something really bad and/or embarrassing about another trooper that he would have no moral choice but to report it? Ped...stuff?
Trooper JB looks like quite an attractive guy, plus he was apparently a very nice and well-liked guy, cannot help thinking that somebody was very jealous of him.
Complete and utter speculation, imo.

Murder of Virginia State Police trooper still unsolved, 35 years later
August 23, 2019
"MANASSAS, Va. — She sees the killer like a shadow, in a dream only understood years after a man entered her Manassas home and murdered her father, Trooper Johnny Bowman.

She was two years old when it happened. It's the only unsolved murder of a Virginia State Police Trooper in the commonwealth’s history.

"In the dream, it's pretty much like a black figure," Nikki Bowman said in an interview Thursday. "My father opens the door, shadow comes in, and then they fall to the ground, and that's it. Then I wake up."
 
dotr said:
Random thoughts..fwiw.
Wondering why the killer even bothered to wear a disguise?
It was 4ish am, so if the killer was known to the victim, would he not be more likely to open the door to someone he knew, rather than a stranger wearing a wig and helmet at that odd time?
Was the purpose of the stabbing (approx 40 times!) to kill JB, or simply because the perp was really angry or crazy and they just enjoyed stab,stab,stabbing?
If the stabbing was just to straight up kill JB, one would expect that a fellow trooper would know how to do that more efficiently.
Could the killer be a female?
Did Trooper Johnny Bowman discover something really bad and/or embarrassing about another trooper that he would have no moral choice but to report it? Ped...stuff?
Trooper JB looks like quite an attractive guy, plus he was apparently a very nice and well-liked guy, cannot help thinking that somebody was very jealous of him.
Complete and utter speculation, imo.

Murder of Virginia State Police trooper still unsolved, 35 years later
August 23, 2019
"MANASSAS, Va. — She sees the killer like a shadow, in a dream only understood years after a man entered her Manassas home and murdered her father, Trooper Johnny Bowman.

She was two years old when it happened. It's the only unsolved murder of a Virginia State Police Trooper in the commonwealth’s history.

"In the dream, it's pretty much like a black figure," Nikki Bowman said in an interview Thursday. "My father opens the door, shadow comes in, and then they fall to the ground, and that's it. Then I wake up."
Click to expand...

Interesting thoughts and you might be right. A poster on another board mentioned this murder was a few days after the Michael Margaret and Donna Hall murders and that would be my avenue. Someone prowling the Parkways but I am happy to be wrong to see cases solved correctly. Cheers
 
dotr said:
From link, very curious indeed.imo.
“I don’t know many law enforcement officers that would answer their door at that time of night, with no protection,” she said. “Especially if you’ve got a child in the home.”
Click to expand...

If the killer is identified the reason for this may become clear if he was known to Trooper Bowman. If it was a stranger I still do not think it was as strange a thing to do as his daughter thinks because she is sad about her loss. I think it was quite a brave thing to do if it was a stranger and he would have done it out of duty and you have to take it back to 1984. Thanks
 
I don't know a lot about the cases. I grew up in the area where Bowman grew up

The rumor is he was killed by a fellow trooper. There were also rumors of a homosexual relationship. Didnt the trooper in question get fired from the force shortly after the murder?
 
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