HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Nearly 37 years after a child was abducted and sexually assaulted in Tampa, investigators have identified and captured the suspect through advancements in DNA technology.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) said in 1989, the 7-year-old victim was taken from Tampa Lanes on North Dale Mabry Highway. She was lured to a man's vehicle, where he abducted her and sexually battered her for the next few hours. She was later released near Crown Lanes on West Hillsborough Avenue. The case went cold despite a viable DNA profile being collected at the time.
In 2022, evidence was resubmitted for additional analysis with grant funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Familial and genetic genealogy testing eventually pointed to Young Tom Talmadge, now 70, living in the Philippines.
With help from Homeland Security Investigations in Tampa and Manila, Philippine law enforcement obtained a DNA sample from Talmadge in February 2025, which forensic analysis confirmed matched evidence from the 1989 crime scene.
An arrest warrant was issued in March 2025, charging Talmadge with multiple counts, including sexual battery, lewd and lascivious acts on a child, and kidnapping to commit a felony. He was taken into custody in April 2025 in the Philippines and, after legal delays, deported to the United States in April 2026.
“For nearly four decades, this victim has carried the weight of a horrific crime. Today, we deliver what she has long deserved: answers and accountability. No matter how much time passes, our detectives will never stop pursuing justice for victims,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “This case would not have been possible without the critical partnership and coordination with Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners in the Philippines.”
“This investigation is a testament to the power of persistence and the incredible advances in DNA analysis technology,” said HSI Tampa acting Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs. “Thanks to these scientific breakthroughs and working with our HSI partners in Manila, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, we were able to identify a suspect who had been hiding a half a world away for decades. Today, we are one step closer to bringing closure to a lifetime of victimhood for the survivor and her family.”
“Justice has been long overdue for the victim of this heinous crime,” said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass. “FDLE has the resources and team of experts to assist our law enforcement.”
Talmadge is currently being held at Rikers Island in New York, awaiting extradition to Hillsborough County.
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