A 39-year-old man from New Jersey has been arrested in connection to a 2012 fatal shooting in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The arrest of Vallis L. Slaughter comes after recent advancements in DNA forensics linked him to the crime scene.
The incident dates back to March 2012 when 34-year-old Julio Torres was shot and killed outside the West Reading Diner. Initially, a suspect named Jomain Case was arrested and convicted for his involvement in the murder based on DNA evidence from a piece of Styrofoam cup found at the scene.
However, the case took a new turn when investigators reopened the investigation 12 years later and discovered a cell phone picture that implicated Slaughter in the crime. Using facial recognition software, authorities identified Slaughter as the alleged shooter responsible for Torres' death.
Slaughter, who was living in New York City at the time of the murder, was found to have been visiting Reading, Pennsylvania on the night of the incident. Despite the case going cold due to lack of leads, the new evidence brought to light led to Slaughter's arrest.
Last December, Slaughter was residing in Jersey City, New Jersey with his mother when investigators obtained a discarded cigarette. DNA from the cigarette butt was matched to the DNA found on the Styrofoam cup from the crime scene, further solidifying Slaughter's connection to the murder.
He was apprehended at his mother's residence by the Jersey City Police Department and is currently held at the Hudson County Correctional Facility awaiting extradition to Berks County. Slaughter now faces charges of first- and third-degree murder, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault, and possessing instruments of crime.
