Philly "Kensington Strangler" Suspect in Custody

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The crimes in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia were grisly: At least three young women were found strangled to death after being sexual assaulted in November and December. Others came forward saying they had barely survived similar such attacks.

Now, police believe that DNA evidence that was run through their offender database has led them to their primary suspect, 21-year-old Antonio Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was taken into custody on a unrelated bench warrant near the area of the murders after a caller phoned in a tip, reports KYW-TV. The announcement Monday night came shortly after a news conference in which Philadelphia Police Capt. James Clark said Rodriguez was being sought as a "person of interest" in the case.

Rodriguez had not been charged with any crime in the stranglings case, and police had not even obtained an arrest warrant for him, Clark said. But the link made by state police in their offender database was "a major break in the case," he said.

Rodriguez recently had been released from prison, Clark said, but he declined to say for what he had been incarcerated or detail his criminal history. He said state police had contacted Philadelphia police about the match in their offender database.

"Right now, the information we're getting is he's homeless, he's wandering in the area, he's frequenting abandoned houses ... so right now we do not believe anyone is helping him out," Clark said.

Two young women, 35-year-old Nicole Piacentini and 21-year-old Elaine Goldberg, were sexually assaulted and strangled in November. Another, 27-year-old Casey Mahoney, was found murdered in December.

Other women came forward, claiming to have barely survived sexual assaults and strangulation attempts. In all, Rodriguez is believed to have sexually assaulted three other women who survived.

Rodriguez has not yet been charged in the case.

The attacks took place in a stretch of Kensington known for open prostitution and drugs, although an influx of artists and young homebuyers have made parts of the neighborhood, a few miles North of downtown, a bit trendier in recent years.

[joevoter000]

The Kensington Strangler This guy is a real low-life, if there ever was one. Any woman who would actually come forward and admit he was her boy friend, is real TRASH from the word GO! I mean did you see the picture in the news of her, she's a beast! That is the thing about the blacks in this country, they really stick together. It doesn't matter what crimes these people pull. Blacks are there to lie for each other and back each other up by any means. A false alibi, what ever is necessary. I know from a fact that the girls he raped and killed went with him willingly. This is how stupid these white girls are, I really don't see the attraction! This piece of **** isn't even a looker at all. How a white girl could disrespect her race by doing so, is beyond me. They should be ashamed of themselves but their not. TV, movies, music videos, rap & hip-hop crap, these young girls are brainwashed by the big Left-Wing Liberal Machine to act in this manner. The liberals tell our young it is okay to disrespect yourself, your families, friends and so on! These young girls today don't have the brains they were born with, I tell ya! They don't realize who they hurt in the process, mostly them selves. They are just to plain ignorant and illiterate to see it. So, messing around with these black guys, and getting diseases doing so. A black man will screw anything that isn't bolted down, them and their ***** has non conscience. Don't expect the rest of us to feel sorry for you, you play, you pay! This is exactly what happened to those girls in Kensington; they thought they were smart messing around with this low-life. Antonioni Rodriguez showed them, Hun! You other white girls out there, if you have any dam brains, will know to stay away from scum like this, but I doubt it. You're too stupid to take advice from people who know about things like this. Keep messing around with these n---ers, they'll screw you right over. I mean this figuratively and literally as well. While your home sitting on the couch stuffing your faces with junk food, pregnant with their child. They are out scoping other pieces of white ass! I don't play, I speak the truth when it comes to issues like this, a lot of people will be offended, but I don't give a ****! It needs to be said, and I'll say as loudly and often as needed. These aren't the first stupid white girls to mess around with guys like this, and end up dead. They certainly won't be the last, that's for sure. These young girls think that it is cool to hang around a low-life like Antonio. They always say, good girls go after bad boys, and this is the end result of it. So, Mothers and Fathers, you best start educating your daughters a hell of a lot better than you have been. Or this will happen to them, and I know you don't want that, do ya? Besides, what parent wants some nappy-haired half breed grandchild running around any way! This goes for you guys out there, whose sisters are messing around with these kinds of guys. I suggest you start kicking some ass, and stop being such dam wiggers and wussies! That's all for today folks, but I'll be back! Sincerely, Mike Hunt P.S. Stay away from the Left-Wing Liberal Propaganda, it will only bring you down to their sewer level!

[ahrats]

What an Idiot he should have gone across the River to Camden N.J. then he'd still be running around loose.

[wyodutch]

Well, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell warned just the other day how dangerous it was to have guns in the hands of ordinary people. Ed commented... "It's time to reenact the ban on assault weapons, and prohibit the sale of ammunition clips holding more than 10 rounds. Handgun purchases should be limited to one a month, to prevent people from legally buying boxes of guns and turning around and selling them at big profits to criminals."
.
Good thing none of those young women that Rodriguez butchered were armed. The State of Pennsylvania did such a stellar job of protecting them.

[rexxcarz]

"Rodriquez"???? Are you sure about that?

[maiingan]

Kensington is not just a few miles "north" of downtown. It's northeast. North is just North Philadelphia. Different. Even the street grid is differently oriented.