Photo by Marty Gordon
Marty Gordon
Heidi Childs and David Metzler were murdered in the Caldwell Fields parking lot of the Jefferson National Forest in Montgomery County, just two weeks into their sophomore year at Virginia Tech.
The year was 2009 and the date was Aug. 26, a Wednesday. The couple had driven from the campus in nearby Blacksburg just to talk and enjoy each other’s company.
What happened next is a mystery. They parked their car and would be found shot to death the next morning by a man walking his dog.
This week marked the 15th anniversary of the event with no real movement in the investigation. Authorities have been scratching their heads for years, hoping someone with some information would come forward.
The fields are nestled on a section of Craig Creek Rd., approximately eight miles from Rt. 460, on Jefferson National Forest property, about 15 miles from the campus of Virginia Tech. Students from the school were known to and still do frequent the quiet, isolated area.
The description of the spot where investigators found their bodies was a small parking area, which marks Caldwell Fields. Several thousand have stopped and probably walked the same feet of ground, especially since the tragic accident.
Investigators have dug through hundreds of leads with no real suspect, thus leaving it sitting on the Virginia State Police’s cold case website.
In an early 2012 press conference, local police said they were looking for the owners of several cars that had been spotted in the area. The group or owners in no way had been fingered as persons of interest, instead being someone that might have seen something that evening.
The vehicles were:
A green sedan, possibly a Ford Taurus or Dodge Intrepid, was seen stopping in front of residences on Craig Creek Road around 6 p.m.
A dark-blue Dodge Caravan was seen parked near the border of Montgomery and Craig counties, near a logging site, around 8:30 p.m.
A dark-colored van or minivan was parked at Caldwell Fields after dark.
A dark-colored Ford Crown Victoria of Chevrolet Caprice was seen driving on Craig Creek Road around 10 p.m.
A red or red and white Dodge extended-cab pickup with dual exhaust, oversized tires and tinted windows was seen driving up Lee Road at about 11 p.m., directly across from Caldwell Fields.
A gray or cream-colored early 2000s model Pontiac Bonneville, parked near Caldwell Fields around midnight
Local criminologist, retired Radford University professor and former police officer Tod Burke has become an expert in many cases like this one. He said from a law enforcement perspective, it’s critical to bring the story back to the forefront.
“Whenever there is a cold case, it is important to keep the case active in the public’s mind,” Burke said. “This is often done during anniversary dates but can and should be done as frequently as practical. Much depends on police resources.”
“Law enforcement understands that when they bring a case to the forefront, quite often there will be additional tips from the public. Follow-up on those tips is critical, but it does take resources to do so. The public’s involvement in cold cases could prove paramount in closure,” he pointed out earlier this week.
Burke said the longer the case remains cold, the more difficult the investigation becomes.
“Witness memory can fade; witnesses may move out of the area; witnesses can die. Similar issues happen with law enforcement. Investigating officers may relocate, retire, or die. The public needs to also understand that a suspect(s) may also move out of the area, be in prison in another state for an unrelated crime, or may be deceased,” he said.
While some evidence can be maintained for long periods of time (e.g., DNA), according to Burke, some evidence may deteriorate over time. Then again, advancements in forensic science may actually prove beneficial with cold cases, offering officers with additional tools not available during the initial investigation.
“I am also a strong believer in having new eyes on cold cases, when practical to do so. While not dismissing the initial investigation or investigators, fresh eyes may lead to new theories and evidence, minimizing tunnel vision – negating new information because investigators already formed an opinion,” he said.
Bottomline, the longer a case is unsolved, the more difficult it is to close a cold case.
“That being said, I am hopeful for a resolution to this tragic incident,” Burke concluded.
There is a $100,000 reward for any tips that lead to an arrest. If you have any information please call the Virginia State Police at 540-375-9589.
