(June 25, 2007) -- Following what LBPD calls an extensive investigation, LBPD arrested a 38 year-old LB man who's alleged to have sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in the area of Loma Ave. and 8th St. and also allegedly annoyed and molested four other young girls in the vicinity.
On June 21, LBPD took Robert Murphy, Jr., 38, of LB, into custody...and on June 25, the L.A. County District Attorney's office filed multiple felony and misdemeanor sexual assault charges against him.
LBPD said in a prior release that the 11 yr-old girl reported being approached by the suspect at knife point and ordered to a nearby alley where she was allegedly sexually assaulted numerous times, then threatened with bodily harm if she reported the incident.
LBPD says its Detectives gathered information, including a suspect description in the February 28, 2007 assault of the 11-year-old girl in the 8th/Loma area, and officers distributed a Public Information Bulletin with suspect description and deatils of the crime throughout the area.
The release notes that "within the past two months there have been several reports of a man, similar in description to the suspect, approaching young girls and offering them money. These incidents have all occurred in the general vicinity where the sexual assault took place and Sex Crimes Detectives believed there may have been a possible connection between these incidents."
In mid-March, LBPD released video of a suspect in chilling video clips (two views, apparently from a nearby private security camera) show the suspect walking with the victim (who's pixeled/fuzzed out).
LBPD asks anyone with further information about these events to contact its Sex Crimes Investigations Detail at (562) 570-7368.
