A mom was found murdered in her Virginia apartment in 1998 and her newborn daughter went missing. Now, police say they have arrested the mom’s killer.
However, the whereabouts of the 10-week-old daughter remain unknown nearly three decades later.
On Sunday, Virginia State Police announced the arrest of Daniel E. Pompell, 56, in connection with the killing of Sylena Jo Dalton. He was charged with one count of murder and taken into custody on Friday.
On July 27, 1998, a friend found 20-year-old Dalton stabbed to death inside her Strasburg, Virginia, apartment. Her 10-week-old daughter, Allyson Kathleen Dalton, was missing from the home.
Even 27 years later, police do not know what happened to the baby.
Pompell is the father of the child, according to investigators. He had cooperated with police through the investigation and claimed that he went to the apartment the morning of the murder. However, he claimed that when he knocked and no one answered, he left.
He remained cooperative with the police for years.
In 2021, state investigators announced they were awaiting DNA tests in the case, according to the Northern Virginia Daily.
It’s unclear if those results linked Pompell as the suspect.
A motive for the alleged murder has not been released.
“We are pleased to be able to bring this case to this point and bring some overdue closure to the family of Sylena Jo Dalton,” Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations Field Office Capt. John Defilippi is quoted as stating in the release. “We are thankful for all the hard work agents and analysts put into this case to make this arrest possible. We also truly appreciate the cooperation and coordination with Shenandoah County Commonwealth’s Attorney Elizabeth Cooper and her office in moving this case forward.”
Pompell is now being held in a Virginia jail without bond.
“Virginia State Police has tirelessly pursued justice for the death of Sylena Jo Dalton,” Shenandoah County Commonwealth's Attorney Elizabeth Cooper said. “My office is prepared to continue in this effort and ensure justice is served on behalf of the victim and her family."
