GIRLS: Beware of Sketchy Males in Uptown

In more seriously troubling news, there is a serial rapist in my neighborhood.  That is a sentence I never thought I would ever write relating to myself.  I definitely do not live in turtle creek or park cities; however, the words unsafe, sketchy, poor living conditions are not associated with my neighborhood, well, until now - Uptown Girls Beware.

Dallas police release sketch of Uptown rapist

10:02 PM CDT on Tuesday, April 22, 2008

By SCOTT GOLDSTEIN and TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News

Dallas police are seeking the public's help in catching a serial rapist thought to be behind three sexual assaults, and possibly a fourth attempt, in Uptown, Oak Lawn and Old East Dallas since December.

Sketch of suspect

In all three rapes – the most recent of which occurred Monday – the man climbed into homes through an unlocked second-floor door or window, police said.

He carried a knife or gun and spoke English and Spanish, saying "no policia," or "no police," in some cases, police said.

"A lot of people who have second- and third-floor windows, they think they're safe," said Lt. Sally Lannom, commander of the assaults unit.

"And my advice to them is you're never safe enough. That's why you need to lock your doors and windows, even if it's not a ground-floor access."

The attacker is described as black or Hispanic, about 30, 5 feet 8 inches and 150 pounds, with a medium, athletic build, police said.

He typically wears gloves, a stocking cap or ball cap, and a white T-shirt and tennis shoes, police said.

Anyone with information can call Dallas police at 214-671-3584.

Police are awaiting the results of forensic testing to positively link the attacks.

The most recent rape occurred about 2:45 a.m. Monday along Cole Avenue, near Hall Street, police said.

A 38-year-old woman woke to find a man squatting next to her bed in her condo, police said.

Armed with a knife, the man jumped onto the woman's bed and sexually assaulted her, police said.

The woman was cut during the attack, police said.

The first sexual assault attributed to the man occurred on Dec. 23.

In that case, a 42-year-old woman was getting ready for bed in her condo in the 4000 block of Bowser Avenue when she found him in her bedroom, police said.

The woman fought him before he pinned her and raped her, police said.

He also took money from her home.

Police say the man struck again about 5:45 a.m. Jan. 5, when a 23-year-old woman awoke and was pepper-sprayed in her condo in the 4700 block of Cedar Springs Road.

The woman fought the man, and he tried to suffocate her.

He then put a sharp object against her neck, raped her and left, police said.

Police believe that an attempted sexual assault April 1 in the 2200 block of North Haskell Avenue in Old East Dallas may be related, but there are differences that made them reluctant to say for sure.

Monday's attack follows the arrest this month of Stanley Vernell Ledbetter Jr., who is suspected in an earlier series of rapes, robberies and burglaries across North Texas.

Authorities say DNA tests have connected him to seven of the 19 cases attributed to the "shotgun bandit."

Mr. Ledbetter, 30, is being held in the Dallas County Jail on two counts of aggravated sexual assault in connection with attacks in Dallas and Irving.