A man accused of kidnapping and sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl in Florida in 1989 has been arrested in the Philippines, authorities announced. The suspect, Young Tom Talmadge, 69, was identified through preserved DNA evidence and genealogical research, a technique increasingly used to solve decades-old cold cases.
The Crime and Investigation
The incident occurred at a Tampa bowling alley, where a man approached the girl, gave her coins for arcade games, and lured her to his car. He sexually assaulted her before driving her to another bowling alley and leaving her there. Customers and staff at Tampa Lanes launched a frantic search, and a man at the second alley recognized the missing girl, ending the ordeal. The suspect remained unidentified for over 35 years until March 2025, when the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office obtained a warrant for Talmadge's arrest, based on DNA evidence from the crime scene combined with genealogical research.
Arrest in the Philippines
Authorities determined that Talmadge was living in Cavite, Philippines, over 9,000 miles from Tampa. Filipino immigration agents arrested him at his home on April 23. He faces charges including sexual battery on a child under 12, lewd acts on a child, and kidnapping to commit a felony. The Philippines government is also moving to deport him, citing his fugitive status as undesirable. Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado of the Bureau of Immigration stated that the arrest was part of the Shield Kids campaign, aimed at preventing the country from becoming a haven for foreign sex offenders. "Foreign fugitives who commit crimes against children will find no refuge here," Viado said.
