The person at the center of this case
Laura 'Lollie' Winans and Julianne 'Julie' Williams
Cold Case · Closed (suspect deceased; investigation ongoing for additional victims)
30 years waiting · since 1996
WALTER "LEO" JACKSON SR.
Justice for Laura 'Lollie' Winans and Julianne 'Julie' Williams — the trail went cold in 1996, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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suspect
Lead #1Jackson was an avid hiker and residential painter with access to Shenandoah National Park; how many other hikers or park visitors did he encounter?
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vehicle
Lead #2Jackson drove a 1984 Chestnut Brown AMC Eagle at the time of the murders and was known to use temporary tags and alter license plates; were similar vehicles spotted near the park?
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evidence
Lead #3What other unsolved crimes in Virginia and surrounding states during Jackson's periods of freedom (1989-1994, 1994-2000, 2007-2012) might be connected to him?
On May 24, 1996, Laura 'Lollie' Winans and Julianne 'Julie' Williams were murdered in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. DNA evidence identified Walter 'Leo' Jackson Sr., a serial predator with a history of kidnapping, rape, and assault, as their killer. Jackson died in prison in March 2018, but the FBI continues investigating whether he is responsible for other unsolved crimes during his periods of freedom.
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
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witness
Lead #4Are there other hikers or park visitors from May 1996 who encountered Jackson or witnessed suspicious activity in Shenandoah National Park?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
The FBI's Richmond Field Office is seeking assistance to identify additional possible victims of Walter "Leo" Jackson, Sr., who died while serving a prison sentence in Ohio, in March 2018, for charges related to kidnapping. Jackson was recently identified through DNA as the person responsible for the murders of Laura “Lollie” Winans and Julianne “Julie” Williams on May 24, 1996, in the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.
The FBI will continue to work with law enforcement partners to determine if Jackson is responsible for other unsolved crimes. Jackson, who went by the name “Leo”, had a lengthy criminal history, including kidnapping, rapes, and assaults.
Jackson, a residential painter by trade, was also an avid hiker. At the time of Lollie and Julie’s murders, he may have been driving a 1984 Chestnut Brown AMC Eagle 30.
Jackson later drove a 1979 Ford Econoline 250 van. Jackson was known to use temporary tags, alter license plates, and frequently change vehicles.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections provided the following timeline of when Jackson was incarcerated. Jackson would be excluded as a possible suspect for any unsolved crimes that occurred during this time period.
January 1984 through February 1989 (Charged in Geauga County, Ohio) May 1994 through September 1994 (Charged in Cuyahoga County, Ohio) August 2000 through May 2007 (Charged in Cuyahoga County, Ohio) May 2012 until his death in March 2018 (Charged in Cuyahoga County, Ohio)
Timeline of Events
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1996-05-24
Murder of Winans and Williams
Laura 'Lollie' Winans and Julianne 'Julie' Williams were murdered in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.
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2018-03-01
Jackson's Death
Walter 'Leo' Jackson Sr. died while serving a prison sentence in Ohio for kidnapping-related charges.
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2018-03-15
DNA Identification
DNA evidence identified Jackson as responsible for the 1996 murders of Winans and Williams.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:May 24, 1996
Last Updated:July 23, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:May 24, 1996
Last Updated:July 23, 2026