VA VA - Virginia Beach Serial Killer (3 part series)

[shadowraiths]

VIRGINIA BEACH—

Janice Pietropola was raped, strangled, and shot. Beverly Christensen was stabbed in her home, and Alice Eskew was beaten and strangled.

Someone killed these women, and at least nine more, at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

"There was a tremendous amount of violence that took place inside a little cottage," said a retired detective.

[...]

Now, nearly three decades later, the families are getting what they've asked for. Virginia Beach cold-case detectives confirm what the women's relatives believed all along. At the very least, Joanne and Christine died under mysterious circumstances. At worst it was murder.

Years ago, cold-case detectives quietly reopened the investigation. Now, working with NewsChannel 3, they're digging deeper into the files hoping to find out who killed the women, and why.

"They couldn't get what they wanted, so they ran them over," said Det. Tucker.​

Part I
Part II
Part III

 

[PyroMessiah]

Wow. I used to work with Christensen's boyfriend. Obviously this was decades later. When he told me about it I looked up the case, but I didn't realize it was one in a series of them. Very sad.

 

[asp17061]

any updates to this?

 

[ktgirl]

Just a thought:
In September 2012, Kathleen Haley went missing from her home in Newport News.
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...leen-Haley-37-Newport-News-1-Sept-2012/page13
Newport News is about a 45 minute drive from Virginia Beach.

 

[snowleopard]

I was looking up references to the Jodi Huisentruit case when I came upon a Reddit thread about "Serial killer from my hometown....Virginia Beach" (use those to Google it) and found this thread. I hope it's ok to list this way, but other names associated (including those above) are Lynn Seethaler and Janice Pietropola, Beverly Christensen, Judy Ann Sylvester ( disappeared), Lorraine Zimmerman, Barbara Jean Monaco,(disappeared), Marcia Estelle Remick (disappeared), Alice Margaret Eskew, Brenda Joi Bancroft, Joanne (or possibly Joan) Zwingman and Christine Pilczak, Lisa Ann Jolley, Rafaella G. Bryant,and Roberta Walls. I think it's likely that some are not related, as the circumstances and discoverys of the bodies vary quite a bit, but almost all the victims were killed either in the summer or during likely winter break periods from colleges. I lived in Va Beach during the summer of '85 with a buddy and never heard of any of this, of course times and communication have changed. Still creepy.

 

[snowleopard]

Here are some updated links to the WTKR news series.:

http://wtkr.com/2011/04/30/searching-for-a-serial-killer-in-virginia-beach-part-1/
http://wtkr.com/2011/04/29/searching-for-a-serial-killer-in-virginia-beach-part-2/
http://wtkr.com/2011/04/28/searching-for-a-serial-killer-in-virginia-beach-part-3/

 

[dotr]

Nov. 28 2017
http://wtkr.com/2017/11/28/virginia-beach-police-to-announce-developments-in-cold-case/

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Virginia Beach Police announced developments Tuesday in an unsolved homicide from 1986.

Police say they have used modern technology and DNA to develop a sketch of a person of interest in the May 1986 homicide of 22-year-old Roberta Walls.

According to the Crime Solvers file on her case, Roberta was known to frequent the Aragona area of Virginia Beach and the Ocean View area of Norfolk.

Investigators sent DNA from the scene to a lab where the sketches were developed. The sketches show the person of interest at two possible ages — 25 and 55.

Investigators are hopeful this new lead will eventually help them solve the case.

 

[dotr]

https://pilotonline.com/news/local/...cle_3e949994-5292-5609-b517-da6c34d98b01.html

The composites were created using DNA recovered from the crime scene, Detective Angela Curran said. One shows the man as he may have looked at the age of 25, the other how he is predicted to look 30 years later.

"It's amazing technology," Curran said. "It eliminated more than half of the people we had on the cast of characters list."

According to the lab results in Walls case, the man is believed to be white, with brown or black hair, blue or green eyes, and some freckling.

"This is just a prediction of what he looks like," Curran said.

Anyone with information on the case can call the police tip line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, or send an email to vbcrime@vbgov.com.

 

[Aeronomy]

https://pilotonline.com/news/local/...cle_3e949994-5292-5609-b517-da6c34d98b01.html

Since he's already serving a life sentence, I imagine his DNA's already been excluded, but what a resemblance to Randy Taylor the snapshot phenotyping produced... ears, down-turned eyes.

 

[jaejae]

Since he's already serving a life sentence, I imagine his DNA's already been excluded, but what a resemblance to Randy Taylor the snapshot phenotyping produced... ears, down-turned eyes.

I would like to throw my suspect into the ring so to speak to be to looked at for these crimes. Ralph Leon Jackson of course who I believe actually was the Route 29 Stalker and started as a Serial Killer at a very early age.

 

[jaejae]

I would like to throw my suspect into the ring so to speak to be to looked at for these crimes. Ralph Leon Jackson of course who I believe actually was the Route 29 Stalker and started as a Serial Killer at a very early age.

I would look at him on basis that he was in the military for ten years and as well as likely being stationed in California at somewhere like Mather AFB in his early twenties he may have also passed through Virginian Military Bases such as in Norfolk.

 

[jaejae]

I would look at him on basis that he was in the military for ten years and as well as likely being stationed in California at somewhere like Mather AFB in his early twenties he may have also passed through Virginian Military Bases such as in Norfolk.

Just to finish off this is why the late Michelle McNamara who I loved to listen too thought he might have had a Bull Tattoo

 

[gregjrichards]

I was looking up references to the Jodi Huisentruit case when I came upon a Reddit thread about "Serial killer from my hometown....Virginia Beach" (use those to Google it) and found this thread. I hope it's ok to list this way, but other names associated (including those above) are Lynn Seethaler and Janice Pietropola, Beverly Christensen, Judy Ann Sylvester ( disappeared), Lorraine Zimmerman, Barbara Jean Monaco,(disappeared), Marcia Estelle Remick (disappeared), Alice Margaret Eskew, Brenda Joi Bancroft, Joanne (or possibly Joan) Zwingman and Christine Pilczak, Lisa Ann Jolley, Rafaella G. Bryant,and Roberta Walls. I think it's likely that some are not related, as the circumstances and discoverys of the bodies vary quite a bit, but almost all the victims were killed either in the summer or during likely winter break periods from colleges. I lived in Va Beach during the summer of '85 with a buddy and never heard of any of this, of course times and communication have changed. Still creepy.

They have arrested Lynn Seethaler and Janice Pietropola’s killer.

Queens man, 80, is arrested in 1973 cold-case killings of two women in Virginia Beach | Daily Mail Online

 

[doodles1211]

In 2011, Virginia Beach police told the outlet for the first time that all of the victims, including Seethaler and Pietropola, were killed by a serial killer.

https://nypost.com/2019/04/09/80-year-old-busted-for-1973-cold-case-slayings-in-virginia-beach/

Hope there is more info, once he goes to court.

 

[MrsG728]

What do you think the "advanced forensic technology" used is?

 

[gregjrichards]

What do you think the "advanced forensic technology" used is?

All I am seeing is this at the moment “Virginia Beach police did not say how they linked Broadnax to the killings however, NYPD sources told CBS2 that suspect’s DNA linked him to the crime.”

80-Year-Old Queens Man Arrested After DNA Links Him To 1973 Double Murder, Police Say

 

[YESorNO]

80-year-old Queens man arrested for 1973 double-murder cold case in Virginia

"Police in Virginia say they`ve arrested an 80-year-old man for the slaying of two young women more than 45 years ago. The Virginia Beach Police Department announced the arrest Tuesday of Ernest Broadnax of St. Albans, New York, on two counts of second-degree murder and one count of rape. He is awaiting extradition to Virginia. Janice Pietropola and Lynn Seethaler were both 19 years old and on vacation from the Pittsburgh area when they were found dead June 30, 1973, in a cottage near the Atlantic Ocean."

(next court date: April 22)
---

Ernest Broadnax: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

"...Here’s what you need to know:..."

Ernest Broadnax: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com

 

[YESorNO]

Brother of woman slain on vacation in 1973 calls suspect's arrest 'bittersweet' (with clip)
WATCH | Brother speaks about cold case arrest in sister's killing

Apr 11, 2019

"The brother of a 19-year-old woman murdered on vacation in 1973 said the arrest of her suspected killer this week was "bittersweet" news.

"It's very difficult," Mike Pietropola told ABC Pittsburgh affiliate WTAE. "It's bringing back a lot of memories that have been stowed away for years."...

Mike Pietropola, now 57, was 11-years-old when his sister was killed.

"That day is etched in my mind and will be until the day I die," he told WTAE....

Broadnax is next due in Queens Criminal Court on April 22."

Brother of woman slain on vacation in 1973 calls suspect's arrest 'bittersweet'

 

[YESorNO]

Man accused of killing 2 women at the Oceanfront 46 years ago is now in Virginia Beach, albeit in jail

April 18, 2019

"VIRGINIA BEACH –The man police say killed two women at the Oceanfront in 1973 has been extradited from New York.

Ernest Broadnax, was booked into the Virginia Beach Jail Wednesday charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of rape.

The 80-year-old man of St. Albans, New York, is being held without bond, according the online jail booking information..."

Man accused of killing 2 women at the Oceanfront 46 years ago is now in Virginia Beach, albeit in jail | Southside Daily
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"I just want to get this over with," man charged in 1973 Virginia Beach murders tells judge

Apr 18, 2019

"VIRGINIA BEACH
An 80-year-old New York man accused of killing two women at the Oceanfront in 1973 made his first local court appearance Thursday.

Virginia Beach General District Judge Teresa Hammons informed Ernest Jean Broadnax of the charges he faces — two counts of murder and one count of rape — and asked if he planned to hire an attorney.

"No ma'am, not at this time," Broadnax said.

When the judge asked if he wanted the court to determine whether he qualifies for a public defender, he declined the offer.

"No ma'am, I just want to get this over with," he said. He then mumbled something about his family...."

"I just want to get this over with," man charged in 1973 Virginia Beach murders tells judge

 

[YESorNO]

Man charged in 1973 Virginia Beach double murder represented by public defender's office (with clip)

May 2, 2019

"VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — According to the Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, the man accused of the double murder in Virginia Beach in 1973 will be represented by the public defender's office after originally denying a lawyer....

Broadnax's preliminary hearing is set for June 14...."

Man charged in 1973 Virginia Beach double murder represented by public defender's office