WASHINGTON — It shocked many in and around the area when two young women were found murdered in Shenandoah National Park 20 years ago. Now, on the anniversary of their death, federal investigators are revisiting the case.
The FBI is hoping to bring attention to the murders of 24-year-old Julianne “Julie” Williams and 26-year-old Laura “Lollie” Winans.
“Clearly on the 20th anniversary we would like to make sure that the girls are not forgotten,” said Dee Rybiski of the FBI.
Williams and Winans were last seen on May 24, 1996 hiking with their dog Taj. The dog was later found wandering in the park and was turned over to Park Rangers near the Whiteoak Canyon Trail.
“That’s what prompted the search for both of the girls,” Rybiski said.
But the search later came to a tragic end. Rybiski says that their bodies were found just a few days later on June 1 at their campsite near Skyland Resort in the Shenandoah National Park.
And while prosecutors did charge a suspect, those charges were later dropped.
The National Park Service and the FBI say they have investigated this case for years, and it very much continues to be an active, ongoing investigation.
Rybiski says the opportunity to reissue their photos through social media, which wasn’t available at the time of the killings, has investigators hoping to cast a new net.
Investigators encourage those with any information about Williams or Winans to contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.
