Accused Ocala rapist arrested, police say

OCALA, Fla. — Ocala police told Eyewitness News that they have arrested who they believe raped two women near a gas station last month.

Police said DNA at the crime scenes matched Ladarius Holmes and the suspect description helped track him down.

Holmes is 6 foot 7 inches, weighs 260 pounds and rides a bicycle.

Holmes said he targeted a woman at a gas station along South Pine Avenue.

"A young woman was stopped by a gas station and was in her car and getting ready to leave when the suspect approached and jumped in her car,” said Steven Cuppy with the Ocala Police Department.

Police said in a separate attack, Holmes attacked a woman walking down the street.

"He approached her on a bicycle and forced her at gunpoint to kind of go to a secluded area where he had her perform a sex act on him,” Cuppy said.

Police said they were able to zero in on Holmes because of the description witnesses gave police.

"He's about 6 foot 7 and about 260 pounds. There’s not a lot of those individuals walking around the streets of Ocala. He also transports himself around the city on a bicycle with a basket on the front,” Cuppy said.

Holmes was arrested on an out-of-state unrelated warrant and was sent back to Tenneessee.

Once DNA samples came back and identified Holmes, he was charged in the Marion County crimes, investigators said.

Police said they believe he might be involved in a third sex assault.

Cox Media Group