Nearly 40-year-old Hillsborough child abduction cold case leads to arrest of suspect in the Philippines

TAMPA, Fla. - A cold case that haunted Hillsborough County for nearly four decades is seeing new movement after investigators linked a suspect living overseas to the 1989 kidnapping and sexual battery of a young girl.

Authorities say Young Tom Talmadge, 69, was taken into custody in Cavite, Philippines, after Hillsborough County investigators used preserved DNA evidence and genealogical research to identify him as the suspect.

What we know:

Investigators say the case began in 1989 at Tampa Lanes on North Dale Mabry Highway, a bowling alley in the Egypt Lake-Leto area that has since closed.

According to investigators, a man approached a 7-year-old girl inside the bowling alley, gave her coins to play arcade games and then lured her to his car. Authorities say he sexually battered the child before dropping her off at a second bowling alley.

During the abduction, customers and employees at Tampa Lanes were searching frantically for the missing girl.

A man at the second bowling alley later recognized the child and helped identify her.

For years, the suspect remained unknown.

Last month, the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for Talmadge. On Thursday, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration’s Fugitive Search Unit took him into custody.

Dig deeper:

The Bureau of Immigration says the arrest is part of its "Shield Kids" campaign, which focuses on preventing the Philippines from becoming a safe haven for fugitives accused of committing crimes against children.

Officials say local law enforcement’s persistence in preserving evidence and continuing the investigation helped make the arrest possible decades later.

Immigration Attorney Renata Castro with USA 4 All said the case is about more than just prosecution.

"It’s about bringing closure to the victims," Castro said.

What we don't know:

The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office says Talmadge has not yet been returned to the United States.

FOX 13 asked the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office when Talmadge would be extradited and where he would first be taken, but had not received a response.

Around the time of the 7-year-old's abduction, a 3-year-old girl was taken from a Pasco County gas station.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has not yet responded to questions about a possible link to Talmadge.

What's next:

Talmadge is expected to face charges in Hillsborough County of sexual battery on a victim less than 12 years old by an adult, lewd and lascivious acts on a child, and kidnapping to commit a felony on a child, once he is returned to the U.S.