Sexual assault suspect linked to woman's murder in Phoenix alley, police say

PHOENIX - A man who was recently arrested for a violent sexual assault that took place in a Phoenix alley has now been linked to a murder that police say happened in the same location.

Timeline:

On June 13, 2024, Phoenix Police say officers responded to an alley near 46th and Oak Streets and found an unresponsive woman on the ground with a head injury. The woman was rushed to a hospital but died a week later. She was identified as 64-year-old Margie New.

On Aug. 14, 2025, police say a woman in her mid-30s was found seriously injured in the same alley. The victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition. She has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.

On Sept. 20, 24-year-old Luis Tapia was arrested after police say he admitted to sexually assaulting the woman. He was booked into jail and is accused of sexual assault and kidnapping charges.

On Sept. 22, police say forensic scientists confirmed Tapia's DNA matched evidence from New's crime scene.

What they're saying:

"Sometimes it's the small things that result in the big wins," said Gabe Lopez, Commander of the Violent Crimes Bureau. "Our crime scene response technicians processed evidence [and] were able to identify a male DNA profile; however, when it was entered into CODIS, there was no match."

There was no match until another brutal crime. DNA confirmed police were looking for the same suspect.

"It's not just a matter of closing these cases but preventing future cases of women, vulnerable women who would be victimized in this brutal way," said Steve Martos, a commander with the Phoenix Police Department.

Detectives canvassed the area, asking for help, putting up flyers and pleading to the community for any information. That's when officers say they got a tip. A person who knew Tapia's roommate reported suspicious and implicating behavior the night of the sexual assault.

"That tip really tipped the balance on how we ended up finding this particular suspect," said Martos. "Sometimes you may see something and not think much of it, but it’s very important for our community members to reach out to police and provide information, because you never know what information could break the case.'

What's next:

Police said Tapia will face new charges in connection with New's death.

"The success of these cases is shared with our community, who spoke up against a violent offender who was victimizing members of our community," police said. "These cases also highlight the outstanding work and collaboration between our patrol officers, detectives, crime scene investigators, and the forensic crime lab staff."

Map of area where the alleged crimes happened.