FBI identifies Cleveland serial rapist as suspect in Virginia double murder

CLEVELAND (WJW) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified a deceased Cleveland serial rapist as a suspect in a double murder that occurred in Virginia in 1996.

Laura “Lollie” Winans and Julianne “Julie” Williams were killed on May 24, 1996, at their campsite in Shenandoah National Park near Skyland Resort.

Family members contacted the National Park Service after they failed to return home from a trip. An extensive search ensued, and park rangers found the women’s bodies about a week after they were killed.

According to Fox News, another man was charged with the murder of the two in 2004, but the charges were dropped when his DNA did not match that of the perpetrator.

The case remained unsolved for years, but in 2021 a new FBI team took over the investigation.

According to the FBI, investigators have now identified Walter Leo Jackson Sr. as a suspect in the double murder through a DNA test.

Jackson Sr., a Cleveland man with a long criminal history of kidnapping, rape and assault, died in Cuyahoga County Jail in March 2018.

FBI investigators say Jackson Sr. was an avid hiker and frequently visited Shenandoah National Park. They believe he was driving a maroon 1984 AMC Eagle 30 at the time of the murders.

“After 28 years, we can finally say who committed the brutal murders of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams in Shenandoah National Park,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh in a press release. “I want to express my condolences to the Winans and Williams families again and hope that today’s announcement provides some comfort.”

The FBI says it is working with other law enforcement agencies to determine whether Jackson Sr. can be linked to other unsolved cases.