Sexual Assault suspect in custody

On July 21 a 77-yearold woman was sexually assaulted in her home during the pre-dawn hours. According to Deputy Victor Smith with the Leon County Sheriff’s Department, a suspect in that case is in custody. Smith did not give the name of the suspect saying, “We want to treat every suspect as though he is innocent until proven guilty. The last thing we want is to prejudice the community against anyone.”

DNA has been gath- ered and is currently at the lab for evaluation.

Two days before the assault in Marquez, another woman was attacked in Normangee while working in her yard on July 19. There has been no arrest in this case and Deputy Smith said investigators do not believe it was the same perpetrator.

Smith said that these two cases have been the first two “stranger” sexual assaults in Leon County in a very long time.