UPDATED: Serial rapist to be featured on America’s Most Wanted

by Bill Conrad of Star Local News, PegNews wire

The rapist has attacked at least three women in Plano, Coppell, and Corinth.

Detectives who are still perplexed about the identity of the man who has raped at least three alumni of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority are taking their case national. Members of the Plano, Coppell, and Corinth police departments will present the case on this Friday's airing of America's Most Wanted.

The detectives are hoping the show will help them identify the man. Officer David Tilley of the Plano Police Department said with the help of the local media, the departments have flooded the local market with the man's image. Getting the message to those outside of DFW is where the television show comes in.

"When the show approached us, I talked to our detectives and they said you can't argue with the show's success," Tilley said. "We want to try everything we can and use all of the resources available to us."

Tilley said detectives from the three departments meet at least once a week to discuss any new leads or tips in the case.

"The departments have maintained constant communication," Tilley said. "Having three departments in on the investigation allows us to have different personalities involved. The detectives all have different skill sets, knowledge, and levels of experience. The more people you can get thinking about something, the more it assists in solving the case."

The suspect, described as a black male in his late 30s to mid 40s, standing between 5-foot-7 and 6 feet tall and weighing 250 to 300 pounds, has been on the loose since an attempted rape of a Plano woman in November 2010. Police said the man has a short haircut and may be balding or have a receding hairline as well as a well-trimmed beard. In November, police received DNA test results, which confirmed the same suspect was responsible for all three rapes.

After the initial attempted rape, the man is suspected of attacking women in Plano, April 2011; Coppell, September 2011; and Shady Shores, October 2011. All of the victims are African-American women in their 50s or 60s. Police have met with alumni of the sorority on two occasions and hosted a personal safety class for its members.

Tilley said one potential problem with identifying the suspect, which the national television exposure could help remedy, is that the man may not live in the area. Tilley said the man may visit the area regularly on business, while living somewhere else, making him tougher to identify.

America's Most Wanted airs at 8 p.m. Friday on the Lifetime Network. In addition to presenting the case to the viewers, the detectives will also remain on hand to help screen calls and review any tips that come into the show. Since its inception in 1988, the show has assisted in the capture of 1,163 fugitives.

UPDATE: The Plano Police Department released a drawing of the suspect in this case: