A breakthrough has been achieved in a Phoenix criminal investigation, where detectives have connected a man apprehended for a recent sexual assault to a previous year's unsolved homicide, the Phoenix Police Department reveals. Citing the Phoenix PD's announcement, Luis Tapia, 24, now faces charges for both the violent sexual assault that occurred in August 2025 and the June 2024 homicide of a 64-year-old woman, found with a head injury in an alley near 46th Street and Oak Street.
According to the original report forensic scientists processed biological evidence from the crime scenes, creating a DNA profile that entered the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the link between the two crimes was established after a CODIS match was confirmed, and this was combined with a community tip that led police to Tapia: this collaborative effort showcases the intricate interplay between community vigilance and police toil that brought them to the suspect. "Safety in our community is not just a police responsibility," Family Investigations Bureau Commander Steve Martos told the Phoenix Police Department. Gabe Lopez, Violent Crimes Bureau Commander, also emphasized the importance of the tip, stating that it was "instrumental in leading us to the suspect."
On September 20, 2025, the suspect was detained and charged with sexual assault and kidnapping, and charges concerning the homicide are expected. Forensic scientists later matched Tapia's DNA, obtained via a search warrant, with the DNA evidence from both the homicide and sexual assault cases. "It's a feeling of relief," Lopez expressed, aware of the threat the suspect posed to the community, while Martos acknowledged not only the solace felt by victims’ families but also by the police department's capability to deliver closure and safety to the affected community.
The community has played a pivotal role, as demonstrated by the case resolution. Phoenix PD Lieutenant Martos lauded the community's input and insisted on the significance of any shred of information that could potentially lead to solving such heinous acts. With ongoing investigations, Phoenix PD urges anyone with pertinent information to contact Crime Stop at 602-262-6151 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
