A suspect arrested recently in connection with a violent sexual assault in August in east Phoenix was linked by DNA with a 2024 homicide in the same area, Phoenix police said Sept. 23.

Phoenix police identified the suspect as 24-year-old Luis Tapia, who was taken into custody on Sept. 20.

"This discovery is the result of the tireless work of multiple investigative bureaus working collaboratively to identify and arrest the man responsible for both the homicide and sexual assault," a Phoenix Police news release stated.

In the homicide case, 64-year-old Margie New was found unresponsive on the ground with a head injury around 6:30 a.m. on June 13, 2024, on 46th Street several blocks north of Oak Street, police officials said. She was taken to a hospital and died from her injuries a week la

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