Man accused in assaults on trail now charged in 2003 rape, murder of Philadelphia medical student

PHILADELPHA (AP) — A man accused of slashing people with a large knife while riding a bicycle on a trail in Philadelphia in recent weeks has now been charged in the cold-case rape and slaying of a medical student that occurred among a series of high-profile sexual assaults in a large city park two decades ago. Forty-six-year-old Elias Diaz was arraigned Wednesday on murder, rape and other counts in the 2003 slaying and ordered held without bail pending a Jan. 8 preliminary hearing. He was already accused of machete-type knife attacks on the Pennypack Park Trail before he was linked to the 2003 slaying and perhaps other sexual assaults. The Defender Association of Philadelphia has declined comment.