May 27--A man suspected of breaking into a woman's Boyle Heights home, armed with a machete, and sexually assaulting her this month has been arrested, Los Angeles police said Wednesday.
Manuel Larios Munoz, 21, was arrested on suspicion of rape and burglary, according to LAPD Officer Jack Richter.
Munoz was charged Wednesday with forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by a foreign object and first-degree burglary, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said. If convicted of the charges, prosecutors said, he faces up to life in state prison. Munoz was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, and his bail has been set at $1.3 million.
Capt. Martin Baeza, who heads the LAPD's Hollenbeck Division that includes Boyle Heights, said Munoz was homeless.
Baeza credited newly deployed foot patrols for aiding the arrest. He said officers had distributed fliers and shared other information about the attack with community members, urging them to be on the lookout for the suspect.
A citizen called police in response to the officers' outreach, Baeza said.
"We received a phone call saying, 'We saw a guy that looks like him,'" Baeza said. "We went out and ended up arresting him. We are positive it is him."
The alleged attack on May 15 rattled the Eastside community. Police allege the man pried open a window at the house in the 1900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue and removed most of his clothing before walking into the woman's bedroom.
After the attack, police said, he dressed and fled the scene.
Baeza said investigators didn't believe Munoz was involved in any other attacks.
UPDATE
2:54 p.m.: This post has been updated with details of Munoz's charges and bail.
This story was originally posted at 8:55 a.m.
