Roberta Walls Murder Solved After 40 Years: DNA Leads to Arrest

A man accused of s------- assaulting and killing a 22-year-old woman more than 40 years ago was arrested on May 18, 2026. Charles Berry, 66, was taken into custody after a recent forensic review of the May 15, 1986, killing of Roberta Walls produced a positive DNA match, authorities said.

Walls’ body was discovered in a field in the 1000 block of Ferry Plantation Drive in Virginia Beach at approximately 6:30 a.m. A preliminary investigation determined that Walls had been stabbed multiple times and s------- assaulted. Despite extensive investigative efforts, the case eventually became the responsibility of the department’s Cold Case Unit.

The Newington Police Department arrested Berry in Connecticut. He is being held on a $10 million bond while awaiting extradition to Virginia, where he will be transferred to the Virginia Beach City Jail.

According to a statement from Attorney General Jay Jones’ office, Walls was last seen alive on her way to meet friends.

“She was a vibrant young woman with deep ties to the Virginia Beach community and was known for her kindness and compassion. She had a promising future ahead of her and had close relationships with her family and friends,” the release said.

In 2001, detectives worked with the Virginia Department of Forensic Science to develop a DNA profile from evidence collected in the case. The profile was entered into the national DNA database.

In 2017, Virginia Beach Police submitted the DNA evidence to a Northern Virginia laboratory, which generated a composite image of the suspected killer.

The investigation gained renewed momentum through the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), funded by the Virginia Office of the Attorney General. Continued investigative efforts and advances in forensic technology ultimately enabled detectives to link Berry’s DNA to evidence recovered from the crime scene.

“The evidence had not been tested since 1986, and a direct DNA comparison ultimately identified Charles Berry as the source of the DNA profile generated in 2001,” said Captain Michele Wyatt, VBPD Detective Bureau. “While it was an egregious event, there is joy in finally finding an answer.”

“The legacy of this investigation, the tenacity of 40 years in the making and the years proceeding, is an example of Virginia Beach Police Department’s dedication to Roberta Walls’ memory and to all victims of crime,” said Deputy Chief Jeffrey Wilkerson.

“There are families and loved ones in this community that have not yet received the closure and the justice that they deserve,” said Police Chief Paul Neudigate, VBPD. “For those families, there is hope for the future, and we want families to know our team is not giving up on them.”

Authorities said the arrest resulted from a collaborative effort involving the Virginia Beach Police Department, Virginia State Police, the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia, the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, and the Newington Police Department in Connecticut.