Police Try to Add to Rape Case

Santa Ana detectives on Friday pulled reports of unsolved crimes, seeking possible connections to the man in custody on suspicion of sexually attacking eight women in a spree that terrorized the city.

Eduardo Alberto Guzman, 22, was arrested Thursday and is scheduled to be arraigned in Orange County Superior Court on Tuesday.

“Our crime analysis [people] are going over other crimes where females are robbed,” Santa Ana Police Sgt. Raul Luna said. “We’re looking at crimes in the past year. Typically, they start out with lesser crimes and lead into the violent crimes.”

Luna said investigators are looking most seriously at several robberies that occurred in the same 30-block area of north Santa Ana where the eight women were sexually assaulted since July. Officials declined to provide details about the robberies or say whether they believe they have any matches.

Guzman’s relatives believe the police have the wrong man. They said they spoke to Guzman on Thursday night and that he told them he was innocent. The suspect’s mother, Maria Guzman, said her son told her, “I am not the person. No, Mommy, I did nothing.”

On Friday afternoon, the suspect’s 48-year-old father, Ruben, sat in the breakfast nook of their home. No one had cleaned up the clothing and other possessions scattered by investigators during their search for evidence the day before.

“I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. Nothing. I just can’t. I just walk, walk, walk,” Ruben Guzman said.

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Investigation Continues

Santa Ana Police continue to review unsolved cases that may be linked to a series of rapes in the northern area of the city. A suspect was arrested Thursday. When and where the attacks occurred:

Source: Santa Ana Police

Graphics reporting by BRADY MacDONALD / Los Angeles Times