The police manhunt for suspected serial rapist, Leroy “Nuts” Gomez, 22, of Oleander Street, ended today when he turned himself in to police at Eastern Division Headquarters, Queen Street, in the company of his mother, Beverly Patterson.
Police have publicly accused “Nuts” of committing four rapes after robbing some of his victims at knifepoint, and attempting to commit two more rapes in the Lake Independence and Collet areas since August 23. Eastern Division was, until recently, reluctant to describe the work of the rapist as “serial.”
Belize City police have been on alert for the last month, and the young women in the old capital have been on edge, because of the series of attacks. The rapist was described as a young man who attacked his victims on the streets, late at night or in the early morning, often using a knife, demanding cash and cell phone, and then raping victims after stripping them of those possessions.
Details of the prime suspect’s physical attributes and modus operandi were released this week as police stepped up their manhunt for the elusive Gomez.
Gomez allegedly committed the crimes mainly in the early morning, waylaying his victims on dark and deserted streets, or stalking them, first demanding their money and cell phones, and then raping or attempting to rape them. He has worn similar clothes at every scene: a dark ¾ pants, white undershirt and/or dark T-shirt.
ASP Julio Valdez, officer-in-charge of Criminal Investigation Branch, told Amandala this afternoon that police do not believe that Gomez planned the crimes, but that he took advantage of opportunities presented to him. He was unable to tell us whether there was a pattern of working women being attacked on the way home, or women socializing and being attacked after leaving nightspots or late-running gatherings.
Other sources say the women were largely women who had been socializing and going home at the time they were attacked, though again, there is no indication that the attacker was targeting partygoers.
The following are short summaries of the incidents for which Gomez is believed responsible:
August 24, 3:30 a.m., Antelope Street: A 22-year-old woman and her female friend were walking home when a man approached them and held them up at knifepoint. While one woman was made to lie on the ground, the other was told to give up her valuables, and then raped in a vacant lot between Antelope and Iguana Streets.
August 30, 3:00 a.m., Police Street: A man wielding a knife stopped victim #2 while she was riding a bike toward her home. The 26-year-old was told to hand over her money, then to take her pants off. This attempted rape did not succeed, as the woman escaped after struggling with her attacker.
September 8, 3:00 a.m., McKay Boulevard: A 17-year-old minor was attacked on her way home by a man on a bicycle who grabbed her from behind, dragged her into a yard nearby, choked her into unconsciousness, stole her cell phone and apparently tried to rape her. She awoke to find her pants at her knees. The attacker had fled when another man interrupted the assault, and the woman was spared. The perpetrator left behind a bicycle at this scene.
September 15, 5:15 a.m., Croton Lane: A 21-year-old was attacked with a knife, robbed of her cell phone and money, and shoved to the ground and raped right on the streetside.
September 16, 2:30 a.m., Iguana and Pelican Streets: A 26-year-old met the attacker at the corner of these streets; she was robbed of cash and cell phones and raped in a nearby park.
September 19, 1:50 a.m., Flamboyant Street: Two men robbed a 30-year-old woman. One of the men used a knife and demanded her money and phone before attacking her. She was the only victim to successfully take on the rapist, taking away his knife, but not before being wounded in the palm. Gomez has definitely been linked to this latest incident.
According to Press Officer Clement Palacio, their chief suspect has no previous record of sex crimes, but does have a criminal record. The police, according to Palacio, remain concerned that Gomez may have a sexual transmitted disease, or worse, the HIV virus that causes AIDS.
Information to Amandala is that Gomez no longer lives at his listed address. Yesterday morning police raids and patrols in Lake Independence at addresses where he is thought to have hidden out, including the homes of his mother, Beverly Patterson, that of a former girlfriend on Jasmine Street and another family friend in Junesville, were to no avail.
Patterson, for her part, has told local media that her son is innocent and is being targeted by police, hence his initial reluctance to turn himself in – until today.
Of equal concern is that the last attack was allegedly committed with an accomplice, but police appear to have no leads on the accomplice.