Roanoke man “person of interest” in 30 year old murder case

By John Carlin
WSLS10 Anchor
Published: February 29, 2008

A Roanoke man is described as a “person of interest” in a 30 year old Pennsylvania murder case.

Robert White Jr., 50 of 55 Patton Avenue in Roanoke is a preliminary match for DNA evidence from the crime scene.

Authorities in Easton, Pennsylvania tell WSLS-10 they had few leads in the death of 21 year old Virginia Morell, who was raped and strangled in her apartment on November 1, 1978. 

They took DNA samples from the scene, but at the time the national DNA database didn’t exist.  When they recently ran a test they got a preliminary hit that led them to Patton Avenue in Roanoke where White lives.

According to a search warrant filed in Roanoke, authorities wanted additional DNA from White, to do further tests.  Terry Houk, assistant district attorney in Easton, said he did not know if or when charges would be filed against White, and that new DNA tests were needed to determine the course of action.

White is listed on the state police sex offender website, after he pleaded guilty in 1982 to raping a woman and in a separate incident, hitting another over the head with a liquor bottle in Richmond.  According our Richmond newsroom, the Richmond times Dispatch, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

“It could take a month to a month and a half to get the new DNA results,” said Houk.