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Elias Diaz Officially Charged In 2003 Murder, Rapes: PPD

The man accused of terrorizing hikers with a machete at Pennypack Park trail last month is now officially charged in three more cold cases, Philadelphia police told Daily Voice. 

Elias Diaz; Philadelphia Police Department 

Elias Diaz; Philadelphia Police Department 

Photo Credit: Philadelphia Police Department

Elias Diaz was booked for a string of sexual assaults on Wednesday, Dec. 27, the department said. Two of the attacks happened in Fairmount Park in 2003 while the third was in Pennypack back in 2007, according to authorities. 

The new charges came just a week after 46-year-old Diaz was accused of the 2003 rape and murder of Rebecca Park, whose remains were discovered after she disappeared while jogging in Fairmount, Daily Voice reported

Diaz first came into police contact after he was arrested for a series of machete attacks at Pennypack in November and early December. DNA evidence collected from the cold case scenes later linked him to the crimes, officials said at a press conference. 

Court records show Diaz is now charged with rape, attempted rape, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, aggravated assault, and related offenses, in addition to the murder and machete-attack cases.

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