Juarez Kidnap-Rape Suspect Questioned In Desert Slayings
Ciudad Juarez, Mexico (AP)
A man arrested on charges of rape and kidnapping is also being investigated in the deaths of several women whose bodies were found in the desert, police say.
Sharif Halil Sharif was arrested Tuesday and jailed in a state prison after being accused of rape by a 19 year old woman, State Judicial Police spokesman Ernesto Garcia said Thursday.
No other charges have been filed against Shariff, but police are investigating whether he may have been involved in the killings of seven women whose bodies have been found on the city's outskirts since Aug. 19, Garcia said.
Authorities have said at least some of the slayings may have been the work of one man.
In addition to Sharif, police are also continuing to look at five other men, including a US citizen, who are considered suspects in the killings. None of the five has been arrested, said Garcia.
Garcia also indicated that authorities are questioning the rape accusation made against Sharif.
He said a medical examination of Sharif's accuser failed to turn up any evidence of rape. "If she made that accusation and it's false, then she could have problems," Garcia said, meaning she could face legal charges.
Sharif, a chemist who lives in an upscale Juarez neighborhood, has denied the rape and kidnapping charges, as well as any involvement in the killings.
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