A man was arrested in Connecticut this week in connection with a 40-year-old rape and murder case in Virginia, according to law enforcement officials.

The case involves the death of 22-year-old Roberta Walls, whose body was discovered in a field in Virginia Beach on the morning of May 15, 1986. Walls had been both raped and murdered, according to authorities.

The arrest came after officials in Virginia say new evidence links the suspect to the decades-old crime. The breakthrough in the case was made possible through a forensic genealogy investigation, a technique that has become increasingly common in solving cold cases in recent years.

Forensic genealogy combines DNA evidence with family tree research to identify suspects in unsolved crimes. The method has led to numerous arrests in cold cases across the United States, including high-profile cases that had remained unsolved for decades.

The suspect's identity and specific charges have not been immediately released by authorities. The case represents another example of how advances in DNA technology and genealogical research are helping law enforcement solve crimes that occurred decades ago.