Robert Serritella arrested in 1992 murder of Skokie teen David Chereck

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The ABC7 I-Team has an exclusive report on a major development in one of Chicago's most haunting cold cases, a 22-year-old north suburban murder mystery.

David Chereck, 15, disappeared on New Year's Day 1992 and was found dead a day later.

A man long considered the prime suspect in the teenager's murder, who was never charged, was in custody Wednesday night in Los Angeles. The I-Team has confirmed that Robert Serritella is being held on an arrest warrant for murder approved by Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Chereck, a Niles West student, vanished while walking home from a Skokie bowling alley. A day later, his body was found in a forest preserve; he had been strangled. His coat and shoes were missing.

Chuck Goudie and the I-Team interviewed Serritella in 1998, during which he provided specific details about the abduction and murder.

"I was traveling down the street there, ah, this boy waved his hand at me, you know? And I was going about 35 miles an hour, I didn't know what he was waving about. So I stopped, I went ahead and stopped. I looked in my rear-view mirror and there was another white car, similar to mine, that this boy jumped into. And as he jumped in, then I took off and they took off, and they passed me," said Serritella in 1998.

Cook County investigators say it took years to have enough on Serritella to press charges.

A court appearance is scheduled for Thursday morning in Los Angeles during which authorities will move to extradite him to Chicago to stand trial for the murder.