Police to solicit tips in Fairmount Park Rapist case

Philadelphia police will be soliciting tips in the decade-old Fairmount Park Rapist case this weekend.

Officers from the Special Victims Unit will be on Kelly Drive near Boathouse on Saturday to hand out flyers and talk with people about the case, in an initiative to generate awareness and solicit tips.

Next week is the 10th anniversary of the first attack by the man known as the Fairmount Park Rapist.

Police say DNA evidence shows the same man is responsible for three assaults in Fairmount Park -- including the rape and murder of 30-year-old medical student Rebecca Park -- between April and October 2003, and an August 2007 rape in Pennypack Park.

The man attacked women who were jogging or walking.

The assaults included an April 30, 2003, rape near Kelly Drive and Fountain Green Drive; Park's July 13, 2003, rape and murder in Conshohocken; an Oct. 25, 2003, attempted rape on West River Drive near the Falls Bridge; and an Aug. 11, 2007, rape near Frankford and Solly avenues.

The assailant is described as a Hispanic man with a Latino accent and a muscular build. He was about 5 feet 8 inches tall, had a dark complextion, black hair, thin mustache and bushy eyebrows. In two attacks, he was wearing an earring on his left ear.

He was seen fleeing from two attacks on a purple metallic 10-speed bike.

In the most recent attack, the suspect was wearing a mesh sleeveless basketball shirt and shorts that were light blue with white stripes on the shorts and white edging on the shirt. He was also wearing a gold chain with a crucifix pendant and had scars or marks on his upper left torso and arm.

Anyone who has information can call Philadelphia police at 215-685-3251 or 215-686-3335.