Elias Diaz, the man suspected of recent knife assaults on a Philadelphia trail, has been legally charged in the cold case of Rebecca Park’s 2003 rape and murder, which is a significant development. In the 2003 killing, Diaz, 46, was charged with murder, rape, and other offenses.
Photo: KOOA
Preliminary Hearing After Recent Trail Assault
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for January 8, after which she was to be detained without bond. In the most recent incidents, Diaz was seen riding the Pennypack Park path and cutting people with a big knife.
The Defender Association of Philadelphia, representing Diaz in both the recent assaults and the 2003 case, refrained from commenting on the charges. Diaz had initially been held on aggravated assault and related counts stemming from the recent attacks, where he allegedly used a machete-type knife on trail-goers.
Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford Jr. revealed that Diaz’s DNA linked him to the 2003 strangulation killing of Rebecca Park, potentially connecting him to other sexual assaults in Fairmount Park.
READ ALSO: Man Accused in Assaults on Trail Now Charged in 2003 Rape, Murder of Philadelphia Medical Student
DNA Analysis Solves Two-Decade-Old Fairmount Park Murder Case
Rebecca Park, a 30-year-old medical student, had disappeared in July 2003 while running in Fairmount Park. Her body was discovered buried under wood and leaves in the park, marking a haunting crime that had remained unsolved for nearly two decades. The recent charges also suggested a potential link to other sexual attacks in the park, including the 2003 rape of a jogger and an attempted assault in October of the same year.
In 2021, DNA analysis and genealogy databases played a crucial role in creating composite sketches of the suspect responsible for the assaults. Elias Diaz was identified through these databases, leading to his arrest. Despite Diaz’s previous interactions with the police, authorities lacked his DNA until the recent arrest in connection with the trail assaults.
The decades-old Fairmount Park assault cases and Rebecca Park’s murder had left a lasting impact on the community and law enforcement, making this breakthrough a significant moment in resolving longstanding mysteries.
READ ALSO:Â Georgia Man Imprisoned for Hiding Death of Tara Grinstead Pleads Guilty in Unrelated Rape Cases
