'Most Wanted' Gives Boost to Hikers' Murder Investigation

by Charles Hurt

The investigation into the murder of a former Grosse Pointer and her camping partner in Virginia's Shenandoah National park six weeks ago received a publicity boost Saturday when a nationally syndicated TV program aired a segment searching for clues.

The six-minute segment on America's Most Wanted recreating the murder of Lollie Winans, 26, formerly of Grosse Pointe, and her friend, Julianne Williams, 24, spurred about 50 calls from people offering tips, park spokeswoman Peggie Gaul said. She would not say if the tips were useful.

Rustic Shenandoah National park was the setting for brutal murder of lesbian couple.

"This is very unusual," she said of the slayings in the 300-square-mile park. "Within the National parks Service in general, homicides are very rare."

The FBI, park service and Virginia State Police are investigating the slayings, in which each woman's throat was slashed. The FBI said one body was found inside their tent and the other a few feet outside of it. Both women were bound.

Winans, Williams and their golden retriever, Taj, were last seen alive May 24 when they hitched a ride with a park ranger to the popular Skyland Lodge resort on Skyline Drive, a half-mile from the creekside campsite where they were found dead eight days later by rangers.

Investigators originally thought the deaths were a murder-suicide, but now believe the double-slaying might have been committed by more than one assailant as it would be difficult for one killer to tie up both women.

Gay and lesbian groups have pressured investigators to consider the women's sexual orientation as a possible motive. The groups claim the women were lesbian friends and could have been killed by someone who found their lifestyle offensive.

The park service and FBI distributed fliers offering $25,000 for information.

Gaul asked anyone with information to call the toll-free hotline at (888) 856-2467.