HOUSTON – A security guard accused of murdering a woman faced a judge Wednesday.
Steven Alexander Hobbs, 40, has been charged with assault/murder in the shooting death of Sara Sanford, 41.
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Sanford's body was found in a field in the 1800 block of Old Beaumont Highway near Sheldon Road on Oct. 1, 2010. Her hands were tied, her clothes were missing and she had been shot.
According to Harris County investigators, Hobbs' DNA matched swabs taken from Sanford's body.
The District Attorney's Office said Hobbs is responsible for a string of rapes of prostitutes as well. One of the victims said Hobbs, who was a commissioned security guard, wore his uniform during the attack, detectives said.
Detectives said the investigation that led them to Hobbs began in September, when Wanda Trombley, 57, was found dead in a field in Pasadena.
Pasadena police said they learned that Trombley was a prostitute who was known to work the area around Freeport Street and Interstate 10 in east Harris County. Investigators said that when they questioned other prostitutes who worked in the area, they learned that several of them had been attacked by a large white man who drove a van.
One of the prostitutes said she was assaulted outside a restoration company in the Wallisville area in June.
Detectives said Trombley's body was found about 30 feet from the driveway of a renovation company with the same name of the company where the prostitute said she was assaulted. Investigators said Hobbs worked as a security guard at both locations.
Hobbs was arrested and charged with one count of kidnapping, one count of sexual assault and two counts of aggravated sexual assault.
Investigators said there may be more victims.
"I think that there are a number of living victims that have remained (silent) and I think that it is common with women in that profession, they are going to avoid reporting it because they don't want to become involved with law enforcement," attorney Katherine McDaniel said.
Police continue to work to determine if Hobbs is connected to Trombley's death.
Hobbs is being held in the Harris County Jail without bond.