SAN MARCOS, Texas – UPDATE at 6:45 p.m.: The San Marcos Police Department announced that while Keith Louis III, 27, is connected to the sexual assault case at The Edge apartments, he is not connected to the additional three incidents.
SMPD released the following description of the suspect they are looking for:
Update 5:45 p.m. The investigation has determined that while Louis is connected to the sexual assault at The Edge...
Posted by San Marcos Police Department on Friday, May 3, 2019
UPDATE at 1:15 p.m.:
The San Marcos Police Department announced authorities have arrested the man accused of sexual assault.
Keith Louis III, 27, was taken into custody Friday around noon in Austin, police said.
"At this time it is still not clear whether Louis is responsible for all of the sexual assault cases over the last two weeks," SMPD officials said. "This investigation continues and residents are reminded to remain vigilant about their personal safety and security."
Update 5:45 p.m. The investigation has determined that while Louis is connected to the sexual assault at The Edge...
Posted by San Marcos Police Department on Friday, May 3, 2019
ORIGINAL STORY:
San Marcos police are searching for a man they believe committed at least one of four sexual assaults reported in San Marcos in the last week.
Someone called police Thursday afternoon to report a woman screaming about rape. When officers arrived at the Edge apartments at 1740 Ranch Rd. 12, a woman told police she had just had a confrontation with her roommate, who she accused of sexually assaulting her on Monday.
The woman said she had not seen the man since the alleged assault until she returned home Thursday and found him in the apartment. He took off before police arrived.
Officers chased him but weren't able to catch up with him. He did leave behind a sandal during the chase and officers later found his vehicle abandoned.
The man is identified as 27-year-old Keith Vallen Louis III. San Marcos police have issued an arrest warrant for him.
At a press conference Friday morning, San Marcos Police Chief Chase Stapp urged Louis to turn himself in.
Louis is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.
Louis' description closely matches the suspect in three other recent sexual assaults, but Stapp said he could not definitively say that Louis was responsible for all of the crimes.
The most recently reported sexual assault occurred on Thursday afternoon at the Retreat Apartments at 512 Craddock Ave. A woman called police and reported that she and her roommate were both taken at gunpoint at about 12:30 p.m. The gunman bound them and then assaulted them physically and sexually for 2.5 to 3 hours.
Stapp said it was about 45 minutes later that the woman called from the Edge Apartments to give the report about Louis.
An aggravated sexual assault was reported at the Capstone Cottages apartment complex on Craddock Avenue on April 24th. On April 30, some residents of the same complex reported that a man entered their apartment and threatened them with a handgun. The residents ran away from the apartment unharmed.
Each of the crimes happened in the middle of the day. In most of the cases, the suspect found his way into the apartments through an unlocked door or window, Stapp said. In each case, the suspect was described as wearing all black clothing, black slip-on sandals and a mask that covered the lower half of his face.
Residents are being asked to keep an eye out and stay vigilant about locking doors and windows.
Anyone with information about the crimes or about Louis' whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Campbell by telephone at 512-753-2312 or by email at dcampbell@sanmarcostx.gov.