Florida Cold Case Solved as Man Arrested in Philippines 37 Years After Alleged Abduction and Assault of 7-Year-Old Girl

A suspect in a s—-- abuse case has been arrested 37 years after the crime. In 1989, a seven-year-old girl was kidnapped and assaulted at a bowling alley in Tampa, Florida. Authorities could not track the man responsible for the crime at the time, and the case went cold.

Finally, in March 2025, law enforcement agencies in Florida identified the suspect as 69-year-old Young Tom Talmadge. Detectives used genealogical research and preserved DNA evidence to make the identification.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement eventually confirmed the DNA match, and an arrest warrant was issued for Talmadge by the 13th Judicial Circuit Court of Hillsborough County.

However, the accused had moved to the Philippines by that time. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) then contacted the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration (BI) to apprehend the man. The Fugitive Search Unit of the BI launched a search operation for Talmadge and finally arrested him at his home in Cavite, Philippines, on April 23, 2026.

According to the police, Talmadge saw the victim at the Tampa Lanes bowling alley and lured her by giving her coins to play arcade games. He then allegedly took the child into his car and s—---- battered her. Meanwhile, employees at the bowling alley searched for her.

Following the alleged abuse, Talmadge dropped the victim off at another bowling alley, where a man recognized her and helped her reunite with her family. Talmadge is now facing charges of s—-- battery on a victim less than 12 years old by an adult, kidnapping to commit a felony on a child, and lewd and lascivious acts on a child.

According to BI-FSU Acting Chief Rendel Ryan Sy, the accused is facing deportation for being a fugitive from justice. He is currently being held at a BI Warden Facility in Taguig City and will be extradited to the U.S. later.

Meanwhile, investigators are also looking into the disappearance of a three-year-old girl from Pasco County that occurred around the same time as the bowling alley incident. They have not yet determined whether Talmadge is connected to that case.

Authorities in the Philippines arrested Talmadge as part of the country’s #ShieldKids campaign. Initiated by the BI, the mission aims to protect children from foreign s—-- predators. To combat the exploitation of children by foreign nationals, the campaign urges the public to report suspicious activities to the BI.

“Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the operation is in line with the Bureau’s strengthened drive against foreign s-- predators and pedophiles, following the directive of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable, particularly children, from external threats,” the Philippines’ authorities said in a press release.

Viado also spoke about the campaign and Talmadge’s arrest in an official statement and said, “We will continue to work closely with international counterparts to protect Filipino children and uphold justice. Foreign fugitives who commit crimes against children will find no refuge here.”