Arrest in 2 Cold Case Attacks After Nearly a Decade

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ARLINGTON, VA — A man arrested this week has been linked to two 2007 abduction attempts, according to Arlington County Police.

Justin Wingate Poe, 34, of Woodbridge, has been charged with two counts of attempted abduction. More charges are expected, with police claiming Poe may also be responsible for a sexual assault last month.

It was the investigation of the latest crime that led to Poe's arrest, according to police. Early May 15, a woman awoke to find a man sexually assaulting her in her home in the 700 block of N. Edgewood Street.

The suspect fled, but DNA evidence recovered from the assault linked to an attempted abduction in 2007.

Early in the morning on May 28, 2007, a woman was walking in the 1100 block of N. Vernon Street when she was attacked from behind by an unknown man. As he tried to cover her face with a plastic bag, the victim screamed.

Just a little more than a week after the first 2007 attack, a woman was answering the door at her home in the 2600 block of Lee Highway when an unknown man attempted to place a bag over her head. Again, this woman screamed and the suspect fled the scene. The woman was able to give investigators a clear description of the subject for a composite sketch.

After collecting the plastic bag from the scene of the first attack, officers were also able to recover a latent fingerprint that linked these cases to the attack last month, according to police.

Returning to the old cold case files, crime scene evidence and laboratory results, police were able to identify Poe as a possible suspect. According to police, investigators have been able to link him to the two 2007 attacks. He was taken into custody in Prince William County on Thursday.

The investigation into Poe is ongoing. Anyone who has information regarding these incidents or concerning Poe can call Det. Sloan at 703-228-4198 or gsloan@arlingtonva.us. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS (8477).