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Virginia State Police solve a 1998 cold case, arresting Daniel E. Pompell for the murder of Sylena Jo Dalton.
WASHINGTON — After nearly three decades, the Virginia State Police have announced a breakthrough in a cold case investigation involving the murder of Sylena Jo Dalton, 20.
On Friday, police arrested Daniel E. Pompell and charged him with murder.
According to Virginia State Police Cold Case Database, Dalton and her 10-week-old daughter were last seen on July 27, 1998. Dalton was found stabbed to death in her Strasburg apartment that afternoon. Her daughter, Allyson Kathleen Dalton went missing that day and has never been located.
Family members say they last saw both girls that morning. When questioned by police, Pompell told officials that he went to Dalton’s apartment that morning, knocked on the door, but no one answered. With his knocks unanswered, he said he left.
DNA tests also confirmed Pompell is the father of Allyson Dalton.
The break in the case came through the hard work of agents assigned to the BCI Culpeper Field Office and analysts assigned to the Homeland Security Division’s Violent Crime Analytical Support Team. Additional support for this investigation was provided by the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, who provided funding for analytical support and testing via the Virginia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the Shenandoah County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s
Office.
Investigators say, this arrest marks a major step in the 27-year investigation.
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