In a major breakthrough, Philadelphia authorities have charged a 46-year-old man in connection with a 2003 rape and killing of a woman, as well as recent machete attacks. The suspect, Elias Diaz, was arrested after DNA evidence allegedly linked him to the cold case, officials announced this week.

The 20-year-old unsolved case involves the death of Rebecca Park at Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, according to officials. Diaz, who was apprehended on Sunday in connection with the machete attacks that occurred last month in Pennypack Park, is now facing charges of murder, rape, aggravated indecent assault, and possession of an instrument of crime, among other allegations, in Park's slaying, prosecutors stated.

During his arrest, Diaz refused to provide his name, but authorities were able to identify him through his fingerprints. Subsequently, police collected DNA samples from Diaz, further solidifying their suspicion that he was connected to the 2003 killing.

Philadelphia investigators have determined that DNA evidence and other key factors link Diaz to the cold case. Additionally, he is also facing charges of aggravated assault in relation to the recent machete attacks in November.

Rebecca Park, a 30-year-old student, went missing after a jog in 2003. Her body was eventually discovered buried in a wooded area of Fairmount Park. Police collected DNA evidence from the crime scene. Notably, two other women who were attacked within a six-month period during the same year gave matching descriptions of their assailant. DNA was obtained from one of these incidents, while the other victim provided a similar description. Furthermore, a sexual assault in 2007 near the recent machete attack sites also pointed to a similar description of a male suspect on a bicycle and DNA evidence was collected in that case as well.

Authorities suspect that Diaz may also be involved in other assaults. By compiling DNA evidence from various crimes, Philadelphia police were able to identify a pattern belonging to the same offender. Despite lacking a positive identification, police created a composite sketch of the unknown suspect using the DNA. This information was then sent to a genealogy lab, where publicly available genealogy databases led investigators to over 1,000 potential family members across the United States, including Puerto Rico. With extensive collaboration among law enforcement partners, the search narrowed down to one particular branch of the family, ultimately leading investigators to Elias Diaz as a potential person of interest.

District Attorney Larry Krasner commended the advances in DNA techniques that eventually helped identify Diaz, stating that "science outran this guy's bicycle." Krasner drew comparisons to the apprehension of the Golden State Killer in California, where DNA evidence played a significant role.

Preliminary hearings are now scheduled for Diaz's charges related to the November machete attacks and the 2003 murder. The hearing for the machete attacks is slated for January 3, while the hearing for the cold case murder is set for January 8, according to online court records.

The Defender Association of Philadelphia, which is representing Diaz, has yet to comment on the case.

This story highlights the importance of advancements in DNA technology and the persistence of law enforcement in solving cold cases, bringing closure to victims' families and ensuring justice is served.