A decades-old murder investigation that haunted Virginia Beach investigators for nearly 40 years has finally led to an arrest.
Authorities announced this week that 66-year-old Charles Berry of Newington, Connecticut, has been taken into custody in connection with the 1986 rape and killing of 22-year-old Roberta Walls, per the New York Post.
The arrest came almost exactly 40 years after Walls was found dead behind Old Donation Elementary School in Virginia Beach.
According to the Virginia Beach Police Department, Walls’ body was discovered on May 15, 1986, in a field near the school.
Investigators previously said the young woman showed “obvious signs of trauma due to a violent assault.”
Reports from WAVY-TV stated that Walls suffered multiple stab wounds and had been sexually assaulted during the attack.
At the time of her death, Walls worked at the Bayside Public Library, located across the street from where her body was eventually found.
Police said she was last seen alive leaving the library the night before her murder.
Authorities said Walls had planned to meet friends after work, but she never arrived.
For years, the case remained unsolved despite continued efforts by investigators.
A major development came in 2017 when authorities secured funding that allowed them to revisit DNA evidence preserved from Walls’ body.
Using the biological evidence, investigators were able to generate a composite image tied to a possible suspect, according to local reports.
This week, police confirmed that Berry was arrested on Monday by the Newington Police Department in coordination with Virginia Beach investigators.
The Virginia Beach Police Department said an arrest warrant had been issued in connection with the homicide investigation.
After being taken into custody, Berry was transported on Tuesday to New Britain Superior Court in Connecticut while awaiting extradition to Virginia.
FOX 61 reported that a grand jury later indicted Berry “in connection to Robert Walls’ [murder].”
A Connecticut court set his bail at $2 million.
Police have not publicly detailed what specific evidence ultimately linked Berry to the killing, but the arrest marks a breakthrough in one of Virginia Beach’s long-running cold cases.
The case remained unsolved for nearly four decades before investigators finally identified a suspect.
