Nearly four decades after the tragic murder of a 22-year-old woman in Virginia, police have made an arrest in the cold case.
On Monday, authorities in Newington, Connecticut, reported the arrest of 66-year-old Charles Berry, who is linked to the 1986 rape and killing of Roberta Walls. This development comes after the Virginia Beach Police Department initiated a warrant for his arrest related to the homicide case.
The grim details date back to May 15, 1986, when Walls’ body was found in a field near the old Endowment Elementary School. Police indicated that she exhibited “obvious signs of trauma from a violent assault.”
It was revealed that she had suffered multiple stab wounds and had been raped during the attack. This horrible incident has lingered in the community’s memory for decades.
Previously, it was disclosed that Walls was last seen alive just the night before her death, leaving the Bayside Public Library, situated right across the street from where her body was ultimately found.
Walls, who worked at the library, seemed to have vanished while on her way to meet a friend.
In 2017, advancements in technology allowed authorities to start creating a composite image of a potential suspect by utilizing DNA samples obtained from Walls’ body.
Following his arrest, Berry was taken to New Britain Superior Court in Connecticut where he awaits extradition. He has been indicted by a grand jury in connection with Walls’ murder, and his bail has been set at a staggering $2 million.
As authorities push forward, they continue to seek insights into this long-standing case, hoping to bring some closure to the tragic story of Roberta Walls.
