Police link serial stabber to earlier assaults; one fatal

Sacramento police believe a serial stabber suspected in four recent attacks on North Sacramento streets may be linked to two assaults in 2006, including one in which the victim died, police said.

Just as he did in the recent stabbings, the assailant in the 2006 attacks said nothing to his victims before stabbing them in the back or upper body, said Sacramento police Sgt. Matt Young. Both attacks also occurred on or near Del Paso Boulevard and neither of the victims was robbed, police said.

On June 28, 2006, 64-year-old Robert Wright was riding his bicycle home from church along Eleanor Avenue near Del Paso Boulevard in the city's Old North Sacramento neighborhood when he was stabbed, police said. Wright suffered massive injuries to his spleen and diaphragm and battled through numerous surgeries before dying Feb. 5 of this year, police said.

Another man was stabbed just one block away, near the corner of Glenrose Avenue and Del Paso Boulevard, on Aug. 21, 2006, police said.

The victim, 69-year-old David Loucks, was approached by another man walking in the opposite direction, police said. Loucks said, "Good evening" to the other man, who did not respond. Seconds later, the man turned and stabbed Loucks in the back, according to police.

While noting the striking similarities between the 2006 cases and the four recent stabbings, Young said there are differences. In the older cases, the attacker was on foot and one of the attacks occurred at night, while the recent stabbings happened during the day.

Young urged that anyone who knows someone who may have disappeared around August 2006, only to recently reappear, should call police. He said investigators are particularly interested in hearing about those with criminal backgrounds or who may appear unstable.

No one has been seriously injured in the four recent stabbings.

The first attack occurred near Del Paso Boulevard and Arden Way at 5 p.m. on March 30, police said. That was followed by another stabbing on April 22 at Del Paso and El Camino Avenue at 12:30 p.m.

The third attack came on April 29 at about 7 p.m. near 2021 Del Paso Blvd., when a young mother was stabbed while walking her son in a stroller, according to police. Police said the attacker struck again 11 days later when someone was stabbed at 5:38 p.m. Saturday at Plaza Avenue and Rio Linda Boulevard.

The stabber was described as a Latino male between the ages of 22 and 29. He stands between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 170 pounds. He has a light brown complexion, a medium build, short black hair and brown eyes, police said.

Witnesses told police the assailant's bike is a red, gray or tan 10-speed or mountain bike.

The knife he used was 6 inches long and possibly had a black handle. It has also been described as a Swiss Army knife.

Anyone with information on the most recent attacks is urged to call Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.