South Texas man arrested in pair of cold-case sexual assaults in Fort Worth

A South Texas man is in custody in connection with two cold-case sexual assaults in Fort Worth, and authorities say he may be linked to additional crimes.

Pedro Samarrippas, 48, of San Juan was booked into the Tarrant County jail Monday on one count of aggravated sexual assault and one count of sexual assault.

Cold-case detectives were able to link DNA evidence from the two attacks, which took place in July 2010 and April 2011, to a 2002 cold case in McAllen, police said. Police then identified Samarrippas, who had lived in those cities at the times of the assaults, as a suspect.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for Samarrippas’ DNA, which was a match for the Fort Worth cases, police said. He was arrested last week by Border Patrol officers while attempting to cross into Mexico.

Fort Worth officers interviewed him at the Hidalgo County jail Monday before bringing him back to Tarrant County.

Samarrippas’ bail has been set at $100,000. His attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

Police said Samarrippas is believed to have lived in the Fort Worth area from 2003 to 2014 and that there may be more victims; one additional case potentially linked to him is under investigation, police said.

Authorities described him as a Hispanic man who is 5-3 and about 220 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He has tattoos on both hands, the word “ESPINOZA” tattoed in old English letters on his stomach, the word “PETRA” tattooed in script letters on his chest, a woman wearing a sombrero tattooed on his right calf and a nude woman tattooed on his left calf. He drove a small, reddish 1991 sedan.

Anyone who believes they may be a victim may call police at 817-392-4351 or Crime Stoppers at 817-469-8477.