Culpeper, VA – Virginia State Police announced Sunday that an arrest has been made in the 1998 murder of Sylena Jo Dalton, marking a major breakthrough in a case that has remained unsolved for 27 years.
According to Virginia State Police, Daniel E. Pompell, 56, of Culpeper, was arrested on Friday, Sept. 26, and charged with one count of murder in connection with Dalton’s death. He was taken into custody without incident following an investigation led by the Bureau of Criminal Investigations Culpeper Field Office.
Officials said the arrest was made possible through extensive collaboration among state and federal agencies, including the Homeland Security Division’s Violent Crime Analytical Support Team, the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, the Virginia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Dalton, 20, of Strasburg, was found stabbed to death inside her apartment on July 27, 1998. Her 10-week-old daughter, Allyson Kathleen Dalton, was also missing from the home and has never been located. Authorities confirmed Pompell is the child’s father.
Shenandoah County Commonwealth’s Attorney Elizabeth Cooper will prosecute the case. She said her office is committed to pursuing justice for Dalton’s family, calling the arrest an important step forward in a decades-old investigation.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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