Jun 6, 2008 7:04 am US/Eastern
FBI Joins Hunt For Fairmount Park Rapist
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
Philadelphia Police are turning to the world renowned experts at the FBI's behavioral analysis unit in hopes of developing a profile of the Fairmount Park rapist.
More than five years after he struck for the first time along Kelly Drive, the Fairmount Park rapist remains the target of one of the most intense police manhunts in recent city history.
"We have a serial offender, still at large, it could be in any of the park areas in the city," Captain John Darby said.
So far the rapist, who has distinctive scars and has used a purple bike to escape, has been linked to four attacks, including the rape and murder of medical student Rebecca Park.
CBS 3 has learned Philadelphia Police detectives are turning to the world renowned experts at the FBI's behavioral analysis unit in Quantico, Virginia in hopes of developing a profile of the attacker.
"These are people at the national level who have been involved in all the major serial offender cases in this country," Capt. Darby said.
Capt. Darby says the FBI profilers, who have helped crack major cases around the world, will provide key information that could assist Philadelphia investigators tracking the rapist.
"Profilers and analysts down there at the FBI may be able to apply some of the information that we've gained from our investigation of this particular offender in other future cases," Capt. Darby said.
Previously, FBI profilers helped provide information on serial rapist Troy Graves, who was arrested in April 2002 for a string of Center City attacks, including the murder of Penn student Shannon Schieber.
With summer weather approaching, and more people using Philadelphia parks, investigators hope the profilers and alert citizens will be instrumental in bringing the rapist to justice.
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