Man accused of sexually assaulting 2 women charged in 2021 cold case death
05/08/2023 12:46 pm PDT
NORFOLK, Va. (TCD) -- A man accused of sexually assaulting two women in recent months was arrested in connection with another woman’s 2021 cold case death.
In the early morning hours of Oct. 16, 2021, Norfolk Police Department officers went to the 700 block of East Little Creek Road after receiving a call about an unresponsive woman in the road. Medics transported the victim, who they identified as 51-year-old Angela Joyner, to a hospital, where she died.
Joyner’s cause of death was not revealed.
The investigation into Joyner’s death went cold until Norfolk Police arrested 41-year-old Thomas Obryen on April 28 on suspicion of sexual assault. According to Norfolk Police, on March 26 at 3:40 a.m., officers responded to a call on the 4600 block of Mayflower Road about a woman who had been sexually assaulted and was suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
A month later, on April 27 at 3:55 a.m., police received a call about a woman who had allegedly been assaulted on the 6400 block of Chesapeake Boulevard.
Police arrested Obryen on charges of forcible sodomy, aggravated malicious wounding, malicious wounding, abduction, and use of a firearm.
Court documents cited by WAVY-TV allege Obryen saw the victim walking on March 26 and offered her a ride. When she got in the car, he allegedly made her perform a sex act at gunpoint and shot her when she hesitated. He reportedly assaulted the April 27 victim at gunpoint as well. He allegedly hit her with the gun, and she managed to escape.
On May 3, Norfolk Police announced detectives found evidence allegedly linking Obryen to Joyner’s death while investigating the two sexual assault cases. He is now facing a second-degree murder charge in connection with her death.
Norfolk County Jail records show he is being held without bond.
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