Victim: Alicia Showalter Reynolds and the Route 29 Stalker, 2 March 1996

[Mountain Mama]

VaGenealogist - You make a great point about the confusion due to a few perps along the 29 corridor.

There is a case that has really slipped through the cracks that could be related. A woman disappeared from a house, I believe it was in the county of Orange, but maybe Greene. She was cleaning the house for the homeowner when she vanished in the middle of the day. She was never found. I have seen very little about it. Please sleuthers, if you remember this woman please share any information. There were a number of people disappearing all over during that time, a few women from Richmond, and some disappearances or foul play revolving around Zion Crossroads. None of these were solved to my knowledge. It is not far from those areas to Route 29. All could be related.

 

[Mountain Mama]

Thanks for the information. Interesting how there were many stops before the murder. There is a map of the attacks which I cannot find at the moment which shows he struck close to Quantico which I find rather ironic as in my opinion the FBI have had such trouble with him and struggled to get many of their profiles right in his cases.

The person you are mentioning is Carmelita Shomo. This took place not too far from where Amy Baker was attacked and killed in 1989 near Springfield. Those of us interested in solving Alicia's case may want to look at Amy Baker's page on websleuths. I am not sold on them being connected, but I would say it is worth looking into.

 

[VAGenealogist]

Thanks for the information. Interesting how there were many stops before the murder. There is a map of the attacks which I cannot find at the moment which shows he struck close to Quantico which I find rather ironic as in my opinion the FBI have had such trouble with him and struggled to get many of their profiles right in his cases.

I posted the link to the article with that map few days ago:

Cold Case? Alicia Showalter Reynolds & the fall and rise of Darrell Rice

 

[VAGenealogist]

VaGenealogist - You make a great point about the confusion due to a few perps along the 29 corridor.

There is a case that has really slipped through the cracks that could be related. A woman disappeared from a house, I believe it was in the county of Orange, but maybe Greene. She was cleaning the house for the homeowner when she vanished in the middle of the day. She was never found. I have seen very little about it. Please sleuthers, if you remember this woman please share any information. There were a number of people disappearing all over during that time, a few women from Richmond, and some disappearances or foul play revolving around Zion Crossroads. None of these were solved to my knowledge. It is not far from those areas to Route 29. All could be related.

Thanks, found the case - Lauren Smith, disappeared from Brightwood area in Madison Co on Nov 21, 2011. BUT... it's not what it appears at first glance. Read the case summary on the Charley Project.

Search for Missing Madison County Woman Continues

Lauren Susanne Smith – The Charley Project

 

[Soulmagent]

I have a list somewhere which has some interesting unsolved cases which were happening in the late 80's. It is a short list but I do think think whoever murdered Alicia had murdered other people prior to her murder. I feel pretty strongly about Amy Bakers case, but there are others that are worth comparing beside some of the other unsolved cases . One serial murderer or two? The parkway murders are happening around the time frame of the unsolved 1986 to 89 cases as well so maybe 3?
Here are two cases I remember from my list.
1987

Charlotte Powell cold case reopened 27 years after her murder
Tammy Thorpe
Found on a Gravel Road: Tammy Thorpe

There are a few more but I need to find my notebook. I also have a list of known serial murders with connections to Virginia somewhere and that list has over 25 names on it.

 

[Mountain Mama]

Yes, that is the case, Lauren Smith. Makes me wonder how closely they looked at KK in Smith's disappearance and what he looks like. There is a pic in this link but its sideways angle.

Dumped Kenneth Kuban, 61, 'in Craigslist sex advert revenge plot against ex-girlfriend, 64' | Daily Mail Online

 

[VAGenealogist]

I have a list somewhere which has some interesting unsolved cases which were happening in the late 80's. It is a short list but I do think think whoever murdered Alicia had murdered other people prior to her murder. I feel pretty strongly about Amy Bakers case, but there are others that are worth comparing beside some of the other unsolved cases . One serial murderer or two? The parkway murders are happening around the time frame of the unsolved 1986 to 89 cases as well so maybe 3?
Here are two cases I remember from my list.
1987

Charlotte Powell cold case reopened 27 years after her murder
Tammy Thorpe
Found on a Gravel Road: Tammy Thorpe

There are a few more but I need to find my notebook. I also have a list of known serial murders with connections to Virginia somewhere and that list has over 25 names on it.

It sounds like the Tammy Thorpe case was personal. Her mother said she'd been quiet for a few weeks, the FBI thinks she knew her killer.

Unsolved Murder in Fauquier County (Virginia) | What Lies Beyond

I think Charlotte Powell's case was too far away geographically.

 

[VAGenealogist]

Yes, that is the case, Lauren Smith. Makes me wonder how closely they looked at KK in Smith's disappearance and what he looks like. There is a pic in this link but its sideways angle.

Dumped Kenneth Kuban, 61, 'in Craigslist sex advert revenge plot against ex-girlfriend, 64' | Daily Mail Online

Wow, I knew about the Craigslist case, but didn't realize it was this man. If you click on the pic in this link, it enlarges.

Intent to harass: Stalker pleads guilty to fake Craigslist sex ads

'Investigators also believe Smith was carrying $2,000 to $5,000 in her pockets that day. A suitcase went missing from her home, and friends have reported to police that Smith was asking for advice on how to legally disappear.


Smith left all of her personal credit cards, her driver's license, and her passport behind in the car parked outside of the 7-Eleven in the surveillance video.


Police believe Smith has a set of unclaimed car tags in her possession that once were on her brother's old vehicle. That license plate is thought to read XBW2666. Garrett also thinks Smith, an avid online gamer, was possibly looking to buy a vehicle off Craigslist.'

Search for Smith Takes a Turn with New Information

 

[VAGenealogist]

I knew none of the victims in the these cases at all. I dont want to give the impression I did.

The route 29 stalker did try to pull me over when I was 19. I did not report the incident. I guess being objective ,it could have been someone else who tryed to pull me over but the area, time frame, and method matched exactly the descriptions.

Soulmagent, what year did this happen? Can you describe the person?

 

[VAGenealogist]

Of those of you who listened to the podcast, what do you make of Alicia's credit card that was located on Clay St, Culpeper? My gut is that it was placed there by the perp in order to confuse investigators and possibly frame whoever picked up and used the credit card. I also have to wonder what men lived on that street at the time and if they had any guesses as to who may have been trying to set someone up.

One credit card was found that afternoon (Mar 2nd) on Clay St. Her parka was found that day - but not turned in for 4 days - on Route 734 in Madison Co. I saw another article saying more credit card were found in Culpeper on Mar. 9th. Since the parka was found 20+ miles away, I think he randomly threw these things out.

 

[Soulmagent]

Soulmagent, what year did this happen? Can you describe the person?

It happened in January 96. I could describe what I remember , I only saw him from in my car at night. I was stopped near a well lit intersection. So I can tell you his hair was either a light brown color or a darker blond . He was a thicker build not fat per say . That's probably all I could commit to for sure. I know when I saw Darrel Rice's picture in the paper 2 months later I was 100 percent positive that was not the guy.

 

[Soulmagent]

It sounds like the Tammy Thorpe case was personal. Her mother said she'd been quiet for a few weeks, the FBI thinks she knew her killer.

Unsolved Murder in Fauquier County (Virginia) | What Lies Beyond

I think Charlotte Powell's case was too far away geographically.

It is 27 miles from Culpeper .

 

[jaejae]

It happened in January 96. I could describe what I remember , I only saw him from in my car at night. I was stopped near a well lit intersection. So I can tell you his hair was either a light brown color or a darker blond . He was a thicker build not fat per say . That's probably all I could commit to for sure. I know when I saw Darrel Rice's picture in the paper 2 months later I was 100 percent positive that was not the guy.

Sorry you had this experience. My suspect Ralph Jackson typically had shoulder length dirty blonde hair as seen in my opinion in the CCTV in the Debra Asbury murder in Arizona. He dyed it at times and again in my opinion he did this in the Route 29 Stalker case. As I say sorry if you had a nasty experience.

 

[jaejae]

Sorry you had this experience. My suspect Ralph Jackson typically had shoulder length dirty blonde hair as seen in my opinion in the CCTV in the Debra Asbury murder in Arizona. He dyed it at times and again in my opinion he did this in the Route 29 Stalker case. As I say sorry if you had a nasty experience.

In my opinion the man in the CCTV image is Ralph Jackson in his early thirties. Look at the fear in the victims eyes and the enjoyment in his and the smirk on his face as usual:

Cold case: Free-spirited Debra Asbury suffered brutal murder in 1985, Phoenix police say

 

[VAGenealogist]

It happened in January 96. I could describe what I remember , I only saw him from in my car at night. I was stopped near a well lit intersection. So I can tell you his hair was either a light brown color or a darker blond . He was a thicker build not fat per say . That's probably all I could commit to for sure. I know when I saw Darrel Rice's picture in the paper 2 months later I was 100 percent positive that was not the guy.

Charlotte Powell's body was found 60 miles from where Alicia Reynolds car was found, and 57 miles from where her body was found. Same reason I thought Rice wasn't involved - outside this person's comfort zone.

I have always thought Darrell Rice was not involved. He pulled off the road and removed the tags from his truck before attacking Shomo, and that it happened near Quantico. Do you think the person you saw looks like the police sketch? Was he in a small dark pickup as has been described? Sorry if I'm asking too many questions, but there is a reason - I am personally acquainted with someone who lives in the area that I suspect, and he is not one of the usual suspects discussed. I think if any known suspect was involved in these cases, he would have already been linked by DNA.

 

[Soulmagent]

Charlotte Powell's body was found 60 miles from where Alicia Reynolds car was found, and 57 miles from where her body was found. Same reason I thought Rice wasn't involved - outside this person's comfort zone.

I have always thought Darrell Rice was not involved. He pulled off the road and removed the tags from his truck before attacking Shomo, and that it happened near Quantico. Do you think the person you saw looks like the police sketch? Was he in a small dark pickup as has been described? Sorry if I'm asking too many questions, but there is a reason - I am personally acquainted with someone who lives in the area that I suspect, and he is not one of the usual suspects discussed. I think if any known suspect was involved in these cases, he would have already been linked by DNA.

The person did kinda of look like the first sketch. Not like the last two. He was not in the small pick up described. He was in a red/maroon ford 150 . Also the map with the listed locations does not mention the stops that were attempted in Stafford county and Fredericksburg . I believe this guy traveled u.s 17 ,u.s 29 rt 3 ,rt 2 , rt 33 , rt 234 , rt 66 and ,route 522
It might seem like a large area but it really isn't .

 

[VAGenealogist]

The person did kinda of look like the first sketch. Not like the last two. He was not in the small pick up described. He was in a red/maroon ford 150 . Also the map with the listed locations does not mention the stops that were attempted in Stafford county and Fredericksburg . I believe this guy traveled u.s 17 ,u.s 29 rt 3 ,rt 2 , rt 33 , rt 234 , rt 66 and ,route 522
It might seem like a large area but it really isn't .

I have seen nothing about stops in Stafford Co and Fredericksburg - I knew there was more to this case than has been publicized.

 

[jaejae]

I have seen nothing about stops in Stafford Co and Fredericksburg - I knew there was more to this case than has been publicized.

It is my opinion if you solve the Route 29 Stalker case you solve the puzzle of who the Serial Killer residence in Virginia was. He was not responsible for all the crimes along Route 29 but a few and others in Virginia. Even without him it is interesting how many attacks there were in this region along Route 29 but hopefully it appears there have not been that many recently.

 

[VAGenealogist]

It is my opinion if you solve the Route 29 Stalker case you solve the puzzle of who the Serial Killer residence in Virginia was. He was not responsible for all the crimes along Route 29 but a few and others in Virginia. Even without him it is interesting how many attacks there were in this region along Route 29 but hopefully it appears there have not been that many recently.

I totally agree he wasn’t responsible for all. Darrell Rice, Richard Evonitz, Randy Taylor, Jessie Matthew... they’ve all muddied the water around this case.

 

[VAGenealogist]

The person did kinda of look like the first sketch. Not like the last two. He was not in the small pick up described. He was in a red/maroon ford 150 . Also the map with the listed locations does not mention the stops that were attempted in Stafford county and Fredericksburg . I believe this guy traveled u.s 17 ,u.s 29 rt 3 ,rt 2 , rt 33 , rt 234 , rt 66 and ,route 522
It might seem like a large area but it really isn't .

What do you think about the later police sketch versus the first one in the three person sketch?

Did they publicize the stops in Stafford and Fredericksburg, or is this something that was only talked about locally?