Photo: Orlando Vilchez Lazo
SAN FRANCISCO – The SFPD arrested a man who apparently was a ride share rapist involved in several assaults. In February of this yeaer they connected the same suspect in two sexual assaults. These occurred in 2013 and February of 2018.
“Forensic evidence and other identified factors” connected these two cases. Additionally, in both cases the victims entered cars that they thought were ride share service vehicles.
Instead, the suspect took them to a location and sexually assaulted them.
Investigators searched for similarities in these and other incidents. Then in June of this year they linked a third case from May to the same unidentified suspect.
The SFPD formed a task force made up of –
- the Department’s Special Victims Unit;
- Crime Lab;
- Special Investigations;
- Crime Analysis Unit;
- Southern District Station plainclothes team; and
- the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office Crime Strategies Unit.
Then in July investigators link the Rideshare rapist to a fourth case that happened in June.
On the weekend of July 7 investigators “observed suspicious behavior from a driver operating what appeared to be a rideshare vehicle.”
Officers stopped the vehicle, detained the driver and obtained a DNA sample from him. The driver’s DNA “matched forensic evidence from the June assault.”
Therefore, police arrested 37-year-old Orlando Vilchez Lazo at his home in San Mateo County on July 12.
His multiple charges include false imprisonment, kidnapping, assault and rape.
Additionally, Investigators have yet to determine if Lazo has ever been a legitimate Ridehsare driver.
The SPD announces that this is an ongoing investigation. Consequently, they welcome input from any other possible victims. You cna contact the SFPD Special Victims Unit at 415-553-1521.
The SFPD can also be contacted through our 24 hour tip line at (415) 575-4444. Finally, Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.
