Connecticut Man Arrested for 1986 Virginia Rape and Murder

A Connecticut man has been arrested in connection with the rape and murder of Roberta Walls, a 22-year-old woman killed in Virginia Beach in 1986. Charles Randell Berry, 66, was taken into custody Monday in Newington, Connecticut, after new forensic evidence linked him to the decades-old cold case.

Walls was found in a field in Virginia Beach on May 15, 1986, having been sexually assaulted and stabbed multiple times. At the time, police had no leads, and the case eventually was assigned to the Virginia Beach Police Department’s Cold Case Unit.

In 2001, a DNA profile was developed from evidence at the crime scene and entered into a nationwide database, but no matches were found. Further efforts in 2017 included creating a composite photo of the suspect, but these did not lead to an arrest.

The breakthrough came in 2023 when the department received grant funding from the Virginia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, enabling investigators to pursue forensic genealogy. This led to a direct DNA comparison that identified Berry as the source of the DNA profile. Berry was believed to be stationed in Virginia Beach with the U.S. Navy at the time of the murder.

Detective Bureau Captain Michele Wyatt said, “The cold case squad continued to pursue the investigation into Berry’s involvement and ultimately presented the case to the office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for consideration of charges.” She added, “While this was an egregious event, there is joy in finally finding an answer.”

Berry was charged in Virginia with rape and capital murder. He is currently held on a $10 million bond in Connecticut, awaiting extradition to Virginia. The Newington Police Department charged him with being a fugitive from justice.

Virginia Beach Police Department Deputy Chief Jeffrey Wilkerson expressed confidence in the identification, stating, “We are extremely confident we have the right person.” Police Chief Paul Neudigate noted that Berry does not appear connected to other crimes, saying, “As of this time, we have no indication that he was involved in other crimes.”

Berry’s attorney, Robert Lacobelle, said they have not yet received a warrant or affidavit detailing the allegations and that they are “kind of in the dark on this at this time.” He also noted that he spoke with Virginia investigators about two years ago but had no further details.

Walls’ family has requested privacy as they process the developments. Wyatt said, “There are families and loved ones in this community that have not yet received the closure and the justice that they deserve. For those families, there is hope for the future, and we want families to know our team is not giving up on them.”

Deputy Chief Wilkerson remembered Walls as “a loving daughter, a big sister, a friend to those who knew her, and someone that could be counted on in her circle of friends.”