Public assistance crucial in unsolved homicides
As science takes an ever increasing hand in
police work, the Mesa Police Department, through DNA
evidence, has now linked a 2007 kidnapping and
sexual assault with two unsolved homicides in Mesa.
The cases were linked within the past week when
forensic evidence returned showing the connection.
The most recent case occurred on August 16, 2007
at approximately 1:30 p.m. At that time, a Hispanic
female victim was walking near the intersection of
Main Street and Horne in Mesa. As she was walking
home, a white 4-door vehicle pulled along side her
in the parking lot of a strip mall. She said that
the attacker jumped out of the car and grabbed her
before pulling her into the car and driving away.
Although she was struggling with her attacker, she
was pulled into the vehicle and driven to an unknown
location where she was sexually assaulted.
The victim, naked from the assault, was able to
flee the residence on foot. As she was running, she
was able to get dressed and flag down a cab. She
returned home where she called the police and the
investigation began. As a part of that
investigation, a sexual assault exam was done, which
has now revealed the DNA evidence.
The DNA evidence in this case has been directly
linked to the unsolved murders of two white females,
Alisa Marie Beck in November of 2004 and Karen Jane
Campbell in October of 2007.
The Mesa Police Department is seeking assistance
from the public. Anyone who may have been in the
area of Main and Horne on August 16, 2007 between
the hours of noon and 2:00 p.m. and observed a woman
struggling or being assaulted is encouraged to
contact the Mesa Police Department. We are also
seeking to contact the cab driver who picked up the
victim and drove her home, or anyone who may have
seen an unclothed woman running. We do not have a
specific area of town where she fled from her
attacker. We do believe that this occurred in Mesa.
Assistance by the public will be crucial in
helping the police department in solving these
homicides and sexual assault. Anyone with
information is asked to call 480-644-5763.
