Strasburg Cold Case Solved: Culpeper Man Arrested for 1998 Murder
CULPEPER, Va. — Virginia State Police (VSP) have announced a major breakthrough in the decades-old cold case of 20-year-old Sylena Jo Dalton, who was murdered in Strasburg 27 years ago.
On July 27, 1998, Dalton was found stabbed to death inside her Strasburg apartment.
Her 10-week-old daughter, Allyson Kathleen Dalton, was missing from the home.
On Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, agents with the VSP Bureau of Criminal Investigations’ Culpeper Field Office arrested Daniel E. Pompeii, 56, and charged him with one count of murder.
Pompeii was taken into custody without incident.
Authorities credit the persistence of agents in the Culpeper Field Office, the analytical expertise of the Homeland Security Division’s Violent Crime Analytical Support Team, and funding provided through the Virginia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) for helping advance the case.
Additional support came from the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the Shenandoah County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
“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,” said Capt. John Defilippi, head of the Culpeper Field Office. “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.”
Shenandoah County Commonwealth’s Attorney Elizabeth Cooper added:
“Virginia State Police has tirelessly pursued justice for the death of Sylena Jo Dalton. My office is prepared to continue in this effort and ensure justice is served on behalf of the victim and her family.”
Police have confirmed that Pompeii is Allyson Dalton’s father. However, the girl has never been located.