VA VA - David Metzler, 19, & Heidi Childs, 18, fatally shot, Montgomery County, 26 Aug 2009

A couple of interesting points in the "Mind Over Murder", Part 2. One is how the university, VA Tech, has been strangely quiet about this double murder. I would have expected more concern from a college, but then this has occurred with other colleges in missing persons cases across the country. It is stated in the podcast that when many VA Tech students are asked about the murders they admit they didn't know about the murders. Another is that there is some animosity between college students and some of the local non-students and could have been the motive for the murder. It is brought out again that Caldwell Fields is an area that known mostly to the locals and some VA Tech students. I've been to Blacksburg dozens of times and I didn't know anything about it till the murders.

 

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It's possible there has already been a discussion regarding this individual, but in case his name hasn't been brought up, see what you think about this Virginian as a possible suspect in David and Heidi's murder. He has a history of shooting women, and has been determined to be a serial killer who operated in Virginia.

*Please note 4th photo down in the link, he is posing holding a rifle.

James Michael Wright: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com

 

While he is from the right area and clearly is unstable, he would have been ~13-14 yrs old at the time if my math is correct (23 yo when arrested in 2019). I believe whoever commited this crime had access to a vehicle.

 

Excellent point j_in_c. Age 13/14 would be pretty darn young for driving out to Caldwell Fields. I read about him and that rifle made me think of the gun range in David & Heidi's case.

I wonder if David's and Heidi's murders are tied to some of the other double homicides in Va dating back to 1984. I try to remain open-minded to the possibility that there could be different perpetrators. Sometimes I think the killer of Michael Margaret and Donna Hall can be located, we might start to unravel a long string of unsolved homicides.

 

I was so surprised to see David and Heidi's case being discussed.
I found out about their murders a long time ago when I was following the Morgan Harrington disappearance and murder.
I think there is a highway running north and south and there have been several murders in that area.
I remember one was a young woman going to meet her mother for lunch and never showed up.

 

After reading through this thread and thinking, could it have been Israel Keyes? He targeted couples.

we don’t have a clear understanding of just how many people Keyes killed.

 

The north-south highway you are thinking of might be Hwy 29. The woman who was supposed to meet her mother was probably Alicia Showalter Reynolds. She was driving down from Baltimore where she was attending Johns Hopkins.

 

AND he was known to travel to other areas.

 

Yes you are right. Have they ever found the killer of all these people?
I watched an ID show the other day and they talked about somebody else suspected of being killed by the same person. Sorry I can't remember now because I watch a lot of those shows but they talked about Hwy29.

 

Coming up on the 11 year mark and after that press conference with the sheriff on the murder weapon caliber, missing items and DNA we have heard next to nothing from LE, Virginia Tech or the media. I personally have suggested this case to YouTube and podcast narrators and none of them were apparently interested. (Two podcasts I did not contact did actually cover the case later on, "Vile Virginia" and "Mind Over Murder".)

 

Many thanks for covering the case. I have an 8 page Word doc with media references that I have sent to multiple podcasters and YouTube video producers and to date "Mind over Murder" and "Vile Virginia" are the ONLY ones that deemed it worthy of coverage. Thanks again.

 

I was looking for any updates and I don't see anything in 2020. The 11 year mark is coming up and I don't really expect LE to put on a PC like they did last year - if they even do anything. I did find a poster that states there is a $100,000 reward available. I'm hoping there is someone that knows something and can really use the money!

 

New leads advance investigation into 2009 Montgomery County murders

VA - David Metzler, 19, & Heidi Childs, 18, fatally shot, Montgomery County, 26 Aug 2009

 

Thanks! Had trouble opening that link, if anyone else does too here is another one..
New leads advance investigation into 2009 double murder of two Virginia Tech students in Montgomery County | WFXRtv
Aug 26 2020
“We are extremely encouraged by the number of tips and the amount of information provided to us during the past 12 months,” said Virginia State Police Special Agent W.S. Mitchell, the lead investigator assigned to the case. “Thanks to people finding the courage and compassion to come forward and share with us critical information related to the tragic murders of Heidi and David, we have been able to advance this case like never before''

 

This is some of the best news in a LONG time!!

 

Aug. 26, 2020 rbbm.
11 years pass since killings of Virginia Tech students; still no arrest made
''Virginia State Police say they have spent the past year pursuing about 50 new tips related to the deaths.

Police say Childs, of Bedford County, and Metzler, of Campbell County, were just weeks into their sophomore year at VT when they headed to Caldwell Fields in Metzler’s navy 1992 Toyota Camry. Investigators have determined it was sometime between 8:25 p.m. and 10 p.m. Aug. 26, 2009 when both were shot and killed. His guitar was still in the car, but her purse, credit cards, VT ID and lanyard, camera, and cell phone were gone and are still missing.''

''Law enforcement from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police, and other investigating agencies will participate in a news conference Friday morning at the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Metzler and Childs’ parents are also expected to offer remarks during the gathering.''

 

I only find news about last year's news conference- anyone else see additional info?