UpdatedThu, Feb 25, 2021 at 3:54 pm PT
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John Harris Jr. was taken into custody on an attempted murder charge this week. The left photo was taken around 1989, the year the case began, police said. (Courtesy of City of San Mateo Police Department)
SAN MATEO, CA DNA technology helped San Mateo law enforcement crack open a gruesome cold case involving an attempted murder that occurred more than 30 years ago.
The investigation remains open, as police are concerned there may have been additional victims.
San Mateo Police Department detectives and investigators from the San Mateo County District Attorney s Office arrested John Harris Jr., 55, in Manteca on Wednesday on charges of attempted murder, with other charges pending because of complications under the statute of limitations.
John Harris Jr. faces charges of attempted murder and aggravated mayhem
The statute of limitations for rape charges has passed
He allegedly attacked a woman in her home in February 1989
The suspect was wearing a bandanna during the attack, helping him evade capture and resulting in the case going cold for over three decades
The specific DNA breakthrough wasn t cited, though it s believed to be similar to the DNA practice that led to the capture of the Golden State Killer
UpdatedThu, Feb 11, 2021 at 1:05 pm PT
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The meeting will be held on Zoom and can also be viewed on the SMPD’s Facebook live feed. (Shutterstock)
SAN MATEO, CA San Mateo police in a virtual town hall later this month will provide the public with information about its Field Operations Unit and give a brief status update.
Chief Ed Barberini, Patrol Capt. Dave Peruzzaro, along with Area Lieutenants Ryan Monaghan, Art Sanchez and Matt Earnshaw will provide information about the units that comprise the SMPD s Patrol during a presentation that will be followed by a Q&A.
Join us for another LIVE session of #RealTalkSanMateo on Wed., Feb. 24th on Zoom or Facebook Live at 6pm. This session will be dedicated to our Field Operations Unit. Please click the link below to join the webinar:https://t.co/suZeJEt80W Passcode: 772935 pic.twitter.com/cqv29A5Wh2
The San Mateo Police Department is increasing its presence at and around the Hillsdale Garden Apartments to address crime and quality of life issues after persistent residential complaints over the past year.
San Mateo police Lt. Art Sanchez spoke at a Dec. 23 community meeting to residents in the Hillsdale area on the departmentâs progress in addressing crime and property disturbances since it began working in October with Hillsdale Garden Apartments management. Since October, San Mateo police have responded with increased patrols in the complex looking for suspicious activity, more police walkthroughs, more officers in the area, more parking tickets and gang-related arrests.
Cutty Banks
A man shot and killed outside Wells Fargo Bank at the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo Dec. 19 has been identified as Melota Lemafa Lasi Jr., 30, of San Jose, the San Mateo County Coronerâs Office said.
Lasi was a rap artist who performed under the name Cutty Banks. San Mateo police are investigating any connection between his murder and the recent killing of Ueta Savelio Muasika Jr., 30, an artist who performed under the name Juice Boi. Muasika was shot and killed in the 19th Avenue Park neighborhood of San Mateo Oct. 30. Both murders happened around 9:30 a.m., and both men were specifically targeted and killed.