The Chilling Truth: 5 Key Facts About The Lollie Winans And Julie Williams Shenandoah Murders Solved By DNA

The decades-long cold case of Laura "Lollie" Winans and Julianne "Julie" Williams, two young women brutally murdered while camping in Shenandoah National Park, was officially solved in a stunning announcement in June 2024, bringing a measure of closure to one of the most haunting mysteries in the park's history. The resolution came through advanced DNA technology, finally identifying a deceased serial rapist as the perpetrator of the "heinous" 1996 crime, nearly 30 years after the initial investigation began.

This article details the lives of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams, the terrifying circumstances of the crime, and the critical role that modern forensic science played in identifying their killer, Walter "Leo" Jackson Sr., providing the most current and in-depth information available as of December 2025.

The Lives of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams: A Biographical Profile

Laura “Lollie” Salisbury Winans and Julianne “Julie” Marie Williams were a vibrant, adventurous couple whose love for the outdoors brought them to the remote backcountry of Shenandoah National Park in the spring of 1996.

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Julianne “Julie” Williams

• Real Name: Julianne Marie Williams
• Age at Death: 24
• Hometown: St. Cloud, Minnesota
• Family: The second daughter of Tom and Patsy Williams, with four children in the family.
• Education: Graduated from Cathedral High School in 1990.
• Interests: Julie was deeply interested in nature and studied Geology, reflecting her passion for the natural world.

Laura “Lollie” Winans

• Real Name: Laura Salisbury Winans
• Age at Death: 26
• Hometown: Maine
• Activity: Lollie was an expert backpacker, and her mission with Julie during their trip was to hike a section of the famous Appalachian Trail (AT).

The couple, who had met on a previous camping trip, arrived in Shenandoah National Park in May 1996, accompanied by their dog, Taj. They set up their campsite near the Skyland Resort, eager to enjoy the solitude of the Virginia wilderness.

Timeline of the 1996 Shenandoah National Park Double-Homicide

The tragic events unfolded in the remote area of the park, creating a sense of fear that gripped the hiking community for decades.

May 19, 1996: Julie Williams and Lollie Winans were last seen alive, beginning their backcountry camping trip.

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May 24, 1996: Authorities believe the women were murdered at their campsite near the Skyland Resort.

May 31, 1996: Worried family members contacted the park service after the women failed to return as planned.

June 1, 1996: A search party discovered the bodies of Lollie and Julie at their secluded campsite. The scene was horrific: the victims were found bound and gagged, and their throats had been cut.

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The initial investigation was extensive but ultimately stalled, leaving the case a cold file for nearly three decades, widely known as the "Shenandoah Murders."

The DNA Breakthrough: Identifying Walter "Leo" Jackson Sr.

The resolution of the case, announced by the FBI Richmond Field Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia, was a testament to the power of modern forensic science and persistence.

The Role of Genetic Genealogy: The major turning point came years after the crime. In the fall of 2020, investigators from the National Park Service's Investigative Services Branch (ISB) worked with Marshall University and Parabon Nano Labs. They used the surviving DNA evidence to create a genetic profile and leverage the emerging field of forensic genetic genealogy.

This process allowed investigators to build a family tree from the DNA profile, which eventually led them to a potential suspect: Walter "Leo" Jackson Sr..

The Killer's Profile: Jackson, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, was a convicted serial rapist. He was a residential painter by trade and was also known to be an avid hiker, making him familiar with the remote areas of the park. At the time of the murders, he may have been driving a 1984 Chestnut Brown AMC.

Conclusive Link: Investigators were able to obtain a post-mortem DNA sample from Jackson, who had died in prison in Ohio in March 2018 while serving a sentence for an unrelated kidnapping charge. The comparison provided a conclusive match, linking the convicted serial rapist to the heinous Shenandoah National Park killings.

Dispelling the Colonial Parkway Murders Connection

Due to the proximity in time and location of several unsolved crimes in Virginia, the murders of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams were often speculated to be connected to the infamous Colonial Parkway murders case.

However, the FBI explicitly addressed this theory during their announcement. They confirmed that Walter "Leo" Jackson Sr. was not connected to the Colonial Parkway murders. The key reason was that Jackson was already incarcerated during the time those earlier crimes were committed, effectively ruling him out as a suspect in that separate cold case.

The identification of Jackson provides a definitive, if bittersweet, answer to the Shenandoah murders, separating it from other regional cold cases and focusing the narrative on the tragic conclusion of Lollie and Julie's lives.

The Legacy and Resolution

The resolution of the case, announced nearly 30 years after the crime, provided a long-awaited sense of justice for the families of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams. Although Jackson is deceased and cannot be prosecuted, the conclusive identification means the case is officially considered "solved" by federal authorities.

The legacy of Lollie and Julie continues to be remembered not only through the tragedy but also through the dedication of their families and the law enforcement agencies—including the FBI, the ISB, and the U.S. Attorney's Office—who refused to let the case go cold permanently. The use of forensic genetic genealogy in this case serves as a powerful example of how modern science is finally bringing answers to the most persistent and devastating cold cases in American history.