St. Cloud Police have arrested a 62-year-old man in connection with the murder of a young woman that took place over three decades ago. Police said that new crime technology helped crack the cold case.
Steve Herman Bronson, Jr., 62, of St. Cloud, was arrested without incident and charged with first degree murder of Norma Page, 28 years.
Police said that on June 21, 1979, around 4:38 pm, investigators responded to 1015 Tennessee Avenue in St. Cloud, Florida, where they found Norma Page deceased in her residence with significant injuries. Detectives said that Norma was found with her feet tied together, nude from the waste down and partially covered in clothing. She had been stabbed multiple times with an unknown object and struck in the head with a 2-pound Del Monte Catsup bottle. Her two young children, ages 2 and 4 years who were inside the residence when the crime took place, subsequently left on foot to get help nearby. Norma’s husband, Rev. James Page was out of town attending a church retreat in Lake County when the crime took place.
The case went unsolved for 31 years, despite the efforts of detectives, St. Cloud Police said.
In August 2009, the St. Cloud Police Department re-opened the Norma Page homicide investigation and during the intervening months, tested several pieces of evidence for DNA using the latest technology available. Detectives said that the DNA left at the crime scene matched a DNA profile of Steve Herman Bronson, Jr., who also goes by the name, Nancy Sue Bronson. Investigators learned that Steve H. Bronson used the alias Nancy Sue Bronson, with matching Social Security Number and date of birth.
Bronson, who was cooperative, was arrested on Wednesday. He has been charged with First Degree Murder and is currently being held in the Osceola County Jail without bond.
The police were assisted by DNA Labs International, Inc., Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), in cracking the case.
