Virginia Beach, Va. - Three men have been arrested in cold-case sexual assaults from 1987 and 1988 in Virginia Beach.
Two cold case detectives working in unison with members of the department’s forensics unit helped develop the leads that led to the arrests.
On September 4th, detectives received word from the Virginia Department of Forensic Science of a DNA match related to the May 24, 1988 assault of a woman who was walking along 24th Street at the oceanfront when a suspect ran out of the woods, grabbed and sexually assaulted her.
A warrant for rape was obtained against 52-year-old Julian A Romaro, of Salem, North Carolina. Romaro is currently in custody in North Carolina on unrelated charges and is awaiting extradition to Virginia Beach.
On November 13th detectives arrested 54-year-old Benjamin James Madonia, of Lake City, Florida. He has been charged with rape in the May 29, 1987 sexual assault of a woman who accepted a ride home from him after appearing to be a Good Samaritan.
On December 4th detectives arrested 52-year-old Charles Pender Brown of Virginia Beach. He has been charged with rape and abduction related to the September 20, 1987 sexual assault of a woman walking in the Oceanfront area who was grabbed off the street and taken to a house where she was assaulted.
