Los Angeles police are seeking additional victims of a knife-wielding serial rapist accused of attacking at least nine people across Los Angeles County over the past two decades, with the latest incident reported last month on Figueroa Street.
The suspect, Andre Cobbs, is also allegedly behind at least four robberies.
Cobbs, 40, was arrested after the Feb. 19 assault of a sex worker near the intersection of South Figueroa and West 80th streets, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said at Tuesday’s Police Commission meeting. Cobbs let the victim into his car, where he sexually assaulted her, the chief said.
The woman managed to escape as Cobbs drove away, McDonnell said.
“Despite the trauma, the victim managed to take a photo of both the suspect and his vehicle,” he said.
Based on that information, officers from the LAPD’s 77th Street Division arrested Cobbs and presented the case to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office for charging, but were told that further investigation was warranted, McDonnell said.
After uploading Cobbs’ DNA into CODIS — the FBI’s nationwide Combined DNA Index System — the LAPD chief said, investigators linked him to other sexual assaults and robberies that spanned the past two decades.
An arrest warrant was issued for Cobbs on March 18, and he was booked into the 77th Street Police Station jail on the same day, where jail records show he remains in custody in lieu of $1.7-million bond. His initial court appearance is scheduled for April 1, the records show.
McDonnell said the assaults were spread across the county, with five occurring within L.A. city limits and others in places including Long Beach and Corona.
Police said that Cobbs often used a knife and that at least some of those targeted were sex workers picked up in known prostitution hot spots. McDonnell said detectives were continuing to investigate the case and were trying to identify any additional possible victims.
In 2009, court records show that a man by thename of Andre Cobbs was charged with robbing and assaulting a sex worker in Lynwood as she walked to her car.
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