Las Cruces Sun-News (New Mexico)
By Ashley Meeks Sun-News reporter

Las Cruces, NM

LAS CRUCES - A criminal "John Doe" warrant will be filed this week for the man suspected in a violent rape that took place under a bridge on the banks of the Rio Grande in June, Doña Ana Sheriff's Sgt. Joe Reynaud said Tuesday.

If caught, the man likely will face charges of criminal sexual penetration, kidnapping, and possibly aggravated battery and others, officers have previously said.

A DNA profile of the man was completed in mid-August and, while it doesn't match anyone already logged into the county's system, it has yet to be matched against the national Combined DNA Index System and the FBI's database.

The "John Doe" warrant will protect against the seven-year statute of limitations for filing a warrant expiring, Reynaud said.
"We haven't received anything fresh in a while," Reynaud said.
Late on the night of June 1, the man passed a 25-year-old Las Cruces woman walking home from work several times on Burke Road, killed his lights and striking her with his car. After the 10 mph to 15 mph collision, which knocked the woman's head onto the pavement, requiring stitches, the man allegedly got out, asked if she needed help, placed her in his car and took her to the river.

He then raped her repeatedly on the west bank of the Rio Grande at a longtime party location nicknamed Thousand Poles, underneath the Interstate 10 bridge, west of Motel Boulevard.

Afterward, he drove the woman back to Burke Road, three miles away.

The man was initially described as a Hispanic man between 20 and 30 years old, about 5 feet 8 inches tall with a medium build and short, black hair. The front passenger seat of his vehicle, possibly a dark-colored SUV with a gray interior, was believe to be stained with a substantial amount of blood. Because of the darkness and the conditions of the incident, no composite sketch was made.

The incident remains under investigation and the sheriff's office continues to search for the vehicle's driver. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call (575) 525-1911 or, after 5 p.m., (575) 526-1795, or, from outside Las Cruces, (800) 332-2121 or (800) 260-0911.

Ashley Meeks can be reached at ameeks@lcsun-news.com; (575) 541-5462.

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