Police continue to search for the rapist who attacked a 19-year-old jogger at LaFortune Park last Thursday morning.
"When we catch this guy from LaFortune he'll be off the street, that doesn't mean someone else isn't out there,” said Tulsa Police Sex Crimes Sergeant Mark Mears.
Police continue to canvass the area looking for the rapist and talking with joggers. Police say the 19-year-old did not know her attacker.
Detectives say sexual attacks by a stranger are uncommon in Tulsa.
Tulsa Police Sex Crimes detectives say there were 344 rape cases reported in 2011, one fewer than in 2010.
Of the 344 rape cases reported in 2011 about a dozen were stranger rapes. Several of the suspects have been arrested, but police say that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down.
Power walking through their day, running buddies Cindy Taylor and Joan Paine are always watching their back.
"Unfortunately when a man goes past us one of us is looking behind us to make sure they keep going and not turning back around and coming back and up behind us,” said Taylor.
Detectives say a stranger rapist, such as the one who attacked in LaFortune Park, doesn’t strike as often as a rapist who knows their victim or met them on a date.
He says all cases are important cases but, "Anytime we get a stranger case it is a big deal to us,” said Mears.
It may not sound like a concern but police say it is still above the average stranger rapes reported.
"We are not saying by any means that there is someone behind every bush,” said Mears. "But, we are saying that there is always going to be someone out there eventually that will do something like this so you want to play it safe."
There could be someone like Rlando Bowie, the 23-year-old is going to prison for 25 years for beating and raping the mother in front of her kids in their north Tulsa home in June of 2011.
Police and friends say she was beaten so bad she was unrecognizable.
"Some that are very violent some that are apologetic,” said Mears.
The rapist could be a pastor. Former pastor Allen Jeffers, 63, is behind bars accused of raping a mentally challenged teen he didn’t know last year.
Jeffers’ trial is scheduled for June.
Michael Ray Harris, 46, is also accused of raping three women in Tulsa and attacking them in parking lots.
When police arrested Harris, they say detectives were able to connect evidence including his red Jeep with two unsolved cases from last fall.
He was an unregistered sex offender from an offense in Texas. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 27
th.
"Sex offenders are by nature recidivist. They just don't do one normally,” said Mears.
Police also arrested Nectali Santos-Escalante last year for robbing a raping a woman in the 2400 block of East 5
th Place.
Neighbors called 911 when they heard the victim screaming. Patrol officers arrested Santos that night.
The victim told police Santos tied to choke her with a belt. Santos’ trial is scheduled for March 5
th.
Police say the victim in the most recent case at LaFortune was aware and tried to ignore the attacker but joggers are say they are more aware it could happen to anyone.
"This is a hotbed, there is a lot of activity in this area you just have to be observant,” said Mears.
Detectives are still searching for the rapist who robbed and sexually assaulted a woman in her garage last fall.
Police say the attack happened near 59
th and S. Utica on September 16
th, 2011.
On December 23
rd, police say a stranger raped a woman waiting for someone to pick her up at the corner of 34th and S. Peoria.
Police believe the attacker overheard her conversation and then acted like he knew her friends.
He invited her to wait in his car and that’s when someone in the backseat attacked the victim.
Police recommend you avoid running in the dark and alone, carry your keys and phone with you if you are going to wear ear buds to listen to music make sure you can still hear your feet hit the pavement or keep one in your ear.
Police do not have a detailed description of the attacker but if you were in the area around 51st and South Hudson or South Yale around 6:30 a.m. on February 16th call police.
Detectives are looking for a clean-shaven man, 25-30 years old, wearing a blue skull cap, baggy black clothes and brown or tan jacket.
Detectives believe he’s tried to make contact with other joggers.
If you have any information about this rapist or other unsolved sexual assaults call Crime Stoppers at (918) 596-COPS (2677) or text a tip to “CRIMES” (274637) and begin your message with “TIP918” or you can submit a tip online at
www.tipsubmit.com. Remember you never have to give your name and your tip could lead to a cash reward.
If you are victim of a rape call 911, police will recommend you get a SANE exam. If you agree, police will Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS) and a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) will be out to perform the exam, along with an advocate to support you through the process.
They recommend for evidence you get an exam within 72 hours of the attack.
