STARKVILLE — Starkville police hope by the end of the week to have a positive identification of the man wanted for an attempted sexual assault on University Drive.
The Starkville Police Department sent DNA evidence of the man who attacked a woman jogging at 5:15 a.m. Sept. 12 to the Scales Biological Laboratory in Brandon just two days after the attack. The SPD has a person of interest but has been waiting on the results of the DNA test to officially name a suspect.
“If we have something back by the end of the week I’ll be extremely happy,” SPD Detective Josh Buckner said. “That’s not to say we’ll make an arrest by the end of this week, but it’ll certainly help us get this guy off the street sooner.”
Since the investigation is open, Buckner declined comment on what type of evidence he sent to the lab — hair, skin or body fluid — and how much the SPD collected.
The victim, whose name was not released, was jogging on University Drive before she was attacked by a college-age, dark-skinned black male at the bridge near Fire Station 1 and Stromboli’s. The man had chased her from the intersection of Jarnigan Street and University Drive, where he then forced her under a bridge and attempted to sexually assault her, she reported. The woman was able to escape and flag down a passerby, who drove her to the SPD to report the assault.
The attacker was last seen heading east on University Drive toward Mississippi State University.
The victim told investigators the attacker didn’t use a weapon but did pick up a rock to try and hit her.
More than a month has passed since the attempted sexual assault, but Buckner said he isn’t discouraged by the time lapse.
“Of course, we would have liked to have gotten him off the street by now,” Buckner said. “Unfortunately, with DNA samples, it can be a lengthy period. I know they’re busy down there (at Scales) because they have our stuff, Jackson stuff and a bunch of other areas.”
The attack was followed by an armed robbery of an MSU coed near the same spot just six days later. In the robbery, the woman was walking alone at 3:30 a.m. Police used surveillance video from the area to help identify and arrest Dshante Aquill Nix, 17, of 2172 Williams Road. Nix is not a suspect in the attempted sexual assault.
Buckner said he and Detective Scotty Carrithers cycled in the area after the first attack, making laps around the area at 4 a.m. each morning. Additionally, other officers jogged through the Cotton District and downtown area early each morning.
Buckner still encourages people — male or female — to walk or jog in groups.
“I do notice more groups now,” Buckner said, “but there’s still a few walking alone. I know some people have an attitude that it won’t happen to them but we still have a suspect out there.”
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