Philly Police to Provide Update on Infamous Fairmount Park Rapist

Philadelphia Police are set to announce an update on Thursday on the infamous Fairmount Park rapist, a serial rape and homicide suspect who terrorized the city nearly two decades ago.

The unidentified man was connected at least four incidents in which women who were jogging or walking were targeted. 

In April 30, 2003, a 21-year-old woman was jogging on Kelly Drive and Fountain Green Road when she was raped by a man at knifepoint.

On July 13, 2003, medical student Rebecca Park, 30, was jogging on 3500 Conshohocken Avenue when she was raped and strangled. Her body was found four days later.

On Oct. 25, 2003, a 37-year-old woman was jogging on West River Drive near the Falls Bridge when she was attacked at knifepoint. The woman escaped and was driven to a Lower Merion hospital by a passerby.

All of the attacks occurred within a one-mile radius and investigators used DNA evidence to link them to one suspect, referred to by the media as the "Fairmount Park rapist."

Four years later, on Aug. 11, 2007, a woman was raped in a park near Frankford and Solly avenues. Police said the Fairmount Park rapist was responsible.

In 2019, the FBI and police renewed their search for the suspect. They described him as a man with a medium-build standing 5-foot-8 with scars on his chest, shoulder and arm, possibly from burns or stab wounds, a dark complexion, black hair, thin mustache and bushy eyebrows. Police also said he spoke broken English.

Philadelphia Police

During two of the attacks, the suspect wore an earring on his left ear and fled on a purple, metallic 10-speed bike, police said. During the attack in 2007, he wore a mesh sleeveless basketball shirt and shorts that were light blue with white stripes on the shorts and white edging on the shirt.

He also wore a gold chain with a crucifix pendant.

Police have not revealed what the update on the suspect will be but plan to announce it on Thursday at 2 p.m. during a news conference.