Police Expand Investigation of Man Suspected in Rape

A Mussel Shoals man suspected of drugging and raping a 21-year-old Santa Barbara woman last weekend may also have raped at least one Ventura County resident, the Sheriff’s Department said Friday.

A woman called authorities after seeing news reports that 36-year-old Andrew Stuart Luster allegedly slipped a date-rape drug into the drinks of a woman and man he met at a Santa Barbara bar, took them to his beach home and raped her twice while she was half-conscious, authorities said.

The Sheriff’s Department provided no details about the additional victim, but said they are expanding their search throughout the state and as far as Nevada, based on telephone calls received since his arrest.

While searching the home of the man neighbors knew as “Drew,” investigators found photos and homemade videos of at least five additional victims, said sheriff’s spokesman Eric Nishimoto.

“The photos and videotapes are fairly explicit, documenting sexual activity,” he said. “It appears the women are semiconscious or unconscious.”

Authorities said Luster is known to have frequented the Santa Barbara bars along State Street, as well as near UC Santa Barbara and the Isla Vista area, where many students live.

Constance Bryant, a rape crisis program manager with the Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, said date-rape drug use has doubled in Ventura County in the last year. One out of every five calls to the group’s hotline involves the drug, she said.

Anyone with information about Luster should call the Sheriff’s Department at (805) 654-2340.