Police seek leads in violent cold case

CARLSBAD, N.M. (KRQE) - Carlsbad police are asking for help with a violent case that's gone cold.

A man accused of breaking into a woman's home, robbing her and then sexually assaulting her at knifepoint is still on the loose.
    
Police are hoping someone knows who he is.

It was a real-life nightmare for a Carlsbad woman that took place on a quiet street in the 1300 block of West Ural on Oct. 13, 2011.
    
The 64-year-old victim was awakened by a man in a white mask standing over her with a knife.

"He began giving her verbal commands to not look at him, to face away from him," said Sgt. Jason Griffin of the Carlsbad Police Department.

The suspect had kicked in the woman's back door. The victim told police he forced her at knifepoint to drive to a nearby Wells Fargo ATM leaving her 5-year-old grandchild home sleeping.
    
The man forced her to take out $500 from the ATM, which snapped a photo as the woman drove away.  The suspect, however, stayed clear of the camera.

"We believe the suspect was aware that at the ATM there's a camera, and he sat in the backseat and was staying out of view as much as possible," said Griffin. "The images we have are not real clear."

The woman said the man then forced her to drive back to her house where she said he sexually molested her, again at knifepoint. Then he took her phone and made her walk with him down the block before he eventually ran off. 

The night police responded, a K-9 unit picked up the suspect's scent heading west on Westridge, weaving in and out of yards. Then suddenly the trail stopped.  

Police believe he ran part of the way, and that it's possible he could have gotten into a vehicle. At this point, police are hoping for more leads and refuse to give up.

"They don't just disappear," Griffin said.  "We tend to keep them open and try to actively look for leads however long it takes for us to find the suspect."

The suspect was described as having a medium-to-stocky build, roughly 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and approximately 250 pounds. Anyone with information can contact the Carlsbad Police Department.