Highway Patrol Images, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

Last week, Pennsylvania investigators arrested a New Jersey man after new DNA forensics technology allegedly linked him to a 2012 fatal shooting, as well as a Styrofoam cup found at the scene and a cigarette butt found at his mom’s residence.

On Monday afternoon, The Berks County, Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office announced the arrest of 39-year-old Vallis L. Slaughter, who was charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of 34-year-old Julio Torres outside the West Reading Diner in March 2012.

Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams said during a press conference that an initial investigation into Torres’ death led to the arrest and conviction of Jomain Case, who was 22 at the time.

Torres, Case and a third individual were involved in an argument before the victim was ultimately killed, according to the investigation.

At the time, Case was arrested and charged for being involved in the murder after investigators matched his DNA to a piece of a Styrofoam cup that was found at the scene. However, the third individual involved was never found. 

An analysis later conducted on the piece of Styrofoam did not match with samples in the database. Additionally, Slaughter, who was living in New York City at the time, was visiting Reading, Pennsylvania on the night of the murder. 

However, evidence did not directly point to Slaughter, and so the case went cold for almost 12 years, until investigators reopened the case and discovered a new piece of evidence in the form of a cell phone picture that showed Slaughter, which was taken by a friend of the suspect’s on the night of the murder.

Last December, Slaughter was living in Jersey City, New Jersey with his mother when investigators obtained a discarded cigarette, which had DNA from the spent filter that matched DNA found on the bitten piece of Styrofoam cup that was discovered at the crime scene in 2012.

Slaughter was arrested last Wednesday at his mother’s house by the Jersey City Police Department and is being held at the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending extradition to Berks County. He now faces charges of first- and third-degree murder, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault and possessing instruments of crime.