Arrest made in Kensington Strangler case

Philadelphia Police have arrested a man who they say is a DNA match for the Kensington Strangler.  Antonio Rodriguez has been linked to the sexual assault and murder of three women using a DNA sample in the state’s convicted felon database.cla

Philadelphia Police announced yesterday evening they had identified the 22-year-old Rodriguez as a so-called “person of interest” in the case. Minutes later, an anonymous tipster called police with the address of a house in Kensington. Soon thereafter Rodriguez was apprehended and taken into custody.  At a press conference last night, Mayor Michael Nutter congratulated the police for the big break, but said he wouldn’t be totally at ease until swabs of DNA from Rodriguez have been tested against samples from the victims, confirming the match.  “For me, I think somewhere in the course of the next 24 hours, I’ll also have that greater sense of comfort knowing that we absolutely, positively, 100 percent have the person off the street that we’ve been looking for for some time,” said Mayor Nutter. Two other people were in the house on Mutter street, near Westmoreland, when Rodriguez was apprehended. They were also taken into custody and were said to be cooperating with the investigation.