A woman robbed and sexually assaulted in Mission Valley Tuesday is believed to be the sixth victim in a series that began in June 2008 in the College Area, according to San Diego police.
The victim had just returned to her home on Reflection Drive on April 28 at about 11:30 a.m. She had been shopping with her 18-month-old, took the child into the house and returned to her vehicle to get some more things. As the victim re-entered her apartment, the suspect, who was holding a knife, grabbed her from behind, first demanded cash then sexually assaulted her, police said.
After the assault, the man left and the woman was able to take her child, who was not injured, and get out of the apartment to find help.
San Diego investigators believe the facts in this case are similar to five previous attacks in the county - all involving Asian women between the ages of 20 and 48.
In all cases, the suspect was armed with a knife and took his victims by surprise after they had just gotten home. In many of the cases, he tied up the victims. In all but one of the cases, there was a sexual assault, sexual battery or the threat of a sexual assault.
San Diego police Capt. Jim Collins said that in several cases, the victims have turned over cash, ATM cards and car keys, but none of those items has led to any additional clues. He said that DNA was taken from one victim and that investigators are trying to gather more DNA evidence.
The first case occurred in the 6500 block of Montezuma Road on June 6, 2008. In that case, the man confronted the victim in her apartment, demanded money and sexually assaulted her.
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The second case occurred on Nov. 7, 2008 in the 9200 block of Regents Road. In that incident, a man sexually assaulted a woman inside her apartment at a UCSD graduate student- housing complex, UCSD police said. In that attack the victim came home around 3:30 p.m. and didn’t realize a man had followed her in when she entered her front door. The man had a knife, quickly tied her up and tried to rape her, but she resisted, police said, and the man left.
She described her attacker as a light-skinned man with facial hair, 20-30 years old, 5’6” to 5’9”, about 160 lbs, wearing a baseball cap and a white Chargers T-shirt with jeans, according to police. Police said Friday that physical description is consistent in all five incdents.
UCSD police released a sketch of a possible suspect based on her description.
Investigators believe a third crime took placeon Jan. 16 in Tierrasanta in the 5100 block of Camino Playa De Oro. In that case, the victim was confronted in her garage by the suspect and robbed of cash.
Then on Feb. 10, a man approached a Carmel Valley woman walking from her car into her home on Whispering Hills Lane just before noon. He slipped under the garage door before it closed, holding a knife, tied up the woman and robbed her, San Diego police said. She told police the man was wearing jeans, a gray, zipped sweatshirt and ball cap.
On March 4 around noon, another Carmel Valley woman was attacked in her home, this time in the 3700 block of Carmel View Road. The man entered through an open garage door, armed with a knife, tied up the victim and sexually assaulted her, San Diego police said. The suspect then took the victim's wallet and left, according to investigators.
The suspect in the April 28 attack in Mission Valley is described as a white or Hispanic man, approximately 30-years-old, 5'6" tall, medium build. He was wearing a black jacket, denim jeans, and black shoes.
Anyone with information about any of the cases is being urged to call the the San Diego Police Department Robbery Unit at (619) 531-2299. Tips can also be called in anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477
