A Mexican National, Adan Lopez-Perez, has been charged by Chandler Police for sexual assaults that occurred in 1997. Lopez-Perez, who lived in Chandler in 1997, was required to provide a DNA sample while in federal custody on a charge of unlawful entry into the United States.
According to Chandler Police Detective Seth Tyler:
In September of 1997, a 22-year-old female was sexually assaulted by an unknown Hispanic male at Hoopes Park located at 601 W. Mesquite Drive. Ten days later, an 18-year-old female was sexually assaulted by an unknown Hispanic male inside her home at the 400 block of West Jasper Drive. Physical evidence was gathered from both crime scenes, to include DNA.
Five years later, the Chandler Police Department learned the DNA profiles matched the same person in each case. This confirmed the belief by the original investigators in 1997 that both crimes were committed by the same assailant.
In April of this year, the DNA from both cases matched to 43-year-old Adan Lopez-Perez. Lopez-Perez, a Mexican national who lived in Chandler in 1997, was in federal custody on a charge of unlawful entry into the United States. While in custody, federal law required Adan to provide a DNA sample. On April 8, 2019, detectives arrested Lopez-Perez for his alleged involvement in both sexual assaults. Lopez-Perez was later booked into the Maricopa County Jail on five counts of Sexual Assault, two counts of Sexual Abuse, three counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of Kidnapping, and one count of Burglary.