Five Month Police Investigation Ends in Arrest of Peninsula Sex Assault Suspect

East Palo Alto, CA– East Palo Alto police were able to arrest a suspect last week in connection with a sexual assault of a female victim after a five-month investigation, the agency announced.

East Palo Alto resident Victor Marquez , 21, was arrested at 8:30 a.m. Friday in the 100 block of Azalia Drive, near the Palo Alto Golf Course.

At 1:12 a.m. on Feb. 4, officers were sent to Embarcadero and Greer roads in Palo Alto to investigate a sexual assault, police said.

The victim alleged to officers that she was walking home when Marquez offered her a ride and she accepted. But when she got in the vehicle Marquez allegedly did not drive toward her home, according to police.

She asked to be let out but allegedly Marquez refused. Instead, the victim alleged, he drove her to an undisclosed location in East Palo Alto and sexually assaulted her until she escaped from the vehicle.

After the assault, investigators were able to recover the suspect's DNA, which was entered into the Combined DNA Index System and a match was made, police said.

Detectives secured a $1 million warrant for Marquez and he was arrested without trouble.

Marquez was booked into the county jail on suspicion of kidnapping and sexual assault, according to police.

Any witnesses to the assault or anyone with information about it is urged to get in touch with East Palo Alto police anonymously at epa@tipnow.org or by sending a text or leaving a voicemail at (650) 409-6792 or calling Detective Steve Ong at (650) 798-5958.

– By Bay City News Service. Suspect photo via EPAPD