After more than four decades, a suspect linked to the rape and murder of Roberta Walls, whose body was discovered in a field in 1986, has been apprehended. The victim, aged 22, was found dead in Newington, Connecticut, having suffered from multiple stab wounds following a brutal attack. Despite previous unsuccessful attempts to identify the perpetrator, this week marked a significant development as 66-year-old Charles Berry was taken into custody in collaboration with the Virginia Beach Police Department. Berry, a resident of Newington, was arrested as a fugitive from justice with a bail set at $2 million in Connecticut.

The Newington Police Department confirmed Berry’s arrest, mentioning his connection to a 1986 Virginia Beach homicide. Presently held in Connecticut, Berry awaits extradition to Virginia pending court approval. The arrest follows persistent efforts by cold case investigators, leveraging modern technology to reexamine the case. In a bid to crack the case, DNA evidence from the crime scene was sent for analysis, resulting in the creation of a composite sketch of the suspect in 2017.

While it remains undisclosed whether the DNA evidence directly led to Berry’s arrest, the 1986 murder of Roberta Walls stirred shock and horror within the community. Described by the Virginia Beach Police Department as a violent assault victim, Roberta was last seen alive at the Bayside Public Library, close to where her body was found. She frequented areas in Virginia Beach and Norfolk and had distinctive tattoos on her arm and abdomen.