Nearly 40 years after a young woman was brutally murdered, authorities have made an arrest in the cold case.
Arrest in 1986 Virginia Murder
Charles Berry, 66, of Newington, Connecticut, was taken into custody on Monday in connection with the 1986 rape and murder of 22-year-old Roberta Walls, the Newington Police Department announced. The arrest was coordinated with the Virginia Beach Police Department, which had issued an arrest warrant for the homicide.
Details of the Case
Roberta Walls’ body was discovered on May 15, 1986, in a field behind Old Donation Elementary School, according to VBPD. Authorities said Walls had suffered multiple stab wounds and was raped during the attack. She had last been seen alive at the Bayside Public Library, where she worked, leaving to meet friends. Her body was found just across the street from the library.
Investigation and DNA Evidence
In 2017, authorities received funding to use preserved DNA samples from Walls’ body to create a composite image of a potential suspect. This forensic work ultimately contributed to the identification and arrest of Berry.
Legal Proceedings
Following his arrest, Berry was transported to New Britain Superior Court in Connecticut and is awaiting extradition to Virginia. He has been indicted by a grand jury in connection with Walls’ murder, and his bail has been set at $2 million.
The arrest brings closure to a case that had haunted the community for nearly four decades, demonstrating the power of modern forensic techniques in solving cold cases.
