ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Odessa Police Department has arrested a man in connection with a cold case from 2015. Javier Castillo-Arias has been charged with Sexual Assault; he’s also been identified as a possible suspect in similar cases across the region.

On October 8, 2015, OPD began an investigation into the case after a 23-year-old woman said she’d been sexually assaulted by an unknown man inside an Odessa home. An unknown DNA profile was obtained from the S.A.N.E kit by Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Later, the entry identified “CODIS Hit(s)”, matched to other investigations in other jurisdictions with the same unknown DNA profile.

Together, an OPD Cold Case Detective and Texas Rangers – Unsolved Crimes/SAKI Investigation Program, pursued a lead which led to the identification of the suspect. OPD then obtained an arrest warrant for Castillo-Arias and on September 12, the Texas Rangers and OPD coordinated the arrest of Castillo-Arias. He was booked into the Potter County Jail with the assistance of the Amarillo Police Department. 

OPD said it will continue to assist with investigations regarding this suspect in other jurisdictions.