The Multi-Agency Homicide Task Force released a sketch Friday of what Baton Rouge Police Chief Pat Englade called a “possible suspect” in the serial killer investigation.
Englade offered few details as to why the task force could link the man to the five south Louisiana serial killings, but said the man is a suspect in a St. Martin Parish attempted rape and two other suspicious instances.
Officers described the offender as a black male in his late 20s or early 30s with light to medium skin, short hair and brown eyes. He is heavy set and muscular.
The suspect allegedly attempted to rape a 45-year-old black female on July 9, 2002 in north Breaux Bridge, La.
According to Lafayette Parish Sheriff Michael Neustrom, the offender is wanted for questioning for a total of three incidents that took place in St. Martin Parish between last June and July.
In the first incident, a man, using the name Anthony, gained entry to a woman’s home and asked to borrow a phone and phone book to look for the number of a family he said he was doing construction work for.
Neustrom said the man questioned the women about having a husband while paying close attention to things happening within the house.
The second incident occurred when a man knocked on the trailer home of a woman and asked to use a phone and phone book to locate a John Smith. The man questioned the woman about her relationship to the men pictured in her home.
In the third incident, a man followed a woman from the parking lot at a local supermarket. After extending his hand in a friendly gesture and identifying himself as Anthony, the woman said the man pulled her into his car as he masturbated, Neustrom said.
All three incidents occurred in the morning or late morning hours, Neustrom said.
Victims of the three incidents all described the suspect as being clean-cut and good looking with good skin and teeth. All described a similar hand extending gesture that Neustrom believes the man used to gain trust.
Neustrom described the suspect’s approach method as a “ruse approach” or one that utilizes some type of story to relax and minimize red flags before moving in.
He has been seen in several different vehicles that he most likely borrows from friends or has access to from work, Neustrom said. In the attempted rape incident, the suspect drove a 1997 gold Mitsubishi Mirage with a “Hampton Has It” license plate on the front bumper and damage on the front hood between the head lights.
Officials believe the suspect is the same man in all three incidents and may have attempted to use similar methods in other areas.
“There are women in Baton Rouge that will recognize the description of this man or his ruse,” Neustrom said.
Behaviors the man displayed in these St. Martin Parish incidents also match several of the behaviors the FBI behavioral analysts released in September.
“We think this is another piece to the puzzle,” Neustrom said referring to the serial killer investigation.
Englade said St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office contacted the task force with this information in early April.
“Obviously we are very interested in this person,” Englade said.
However, Englade said DNA evidence from at least one of the crime scenes was not conclusive enough to link the suspect to the serial killer, but he has not been eliminated.
“It’s an ongoing investigation,” Englade said when asked for further details about how the man fit in to the serial killer investigation. “We felt that we needed to release this information to the public.”
Anyone with information about the man who is a suspect in the St. Martin Parish attempted rape and a possible suspect in the serial killer investigation should contact Cpt. Audrey Thibodeaux of the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office at 337-394-3071 or the task force tip line at 1-866-389-3310.