Alleged serial rapist arrested; additional victims sought

HOUSTON – Houston police believe a man charged with eight counts of aggraved sexual assault, and suspected in eight more cases, may have victimized even more women.
Marquis V. Tate is being held on a total of $600,000 bond on charges dating back to 2012.

Investigators said 13 cases in the 5th Ward area featured similar descriptions of a man and his vehicle. In five of the cases, DNA matches were made, but none were in the Combined DNA Index System database.

One of the victims gave investigators a description of the suspect's car that led them to a Fort Worth area man. He told Houston police he sold the vehicle to Tate, and gave them his contact information.

“Tate's photo was placed in a photo lineup and positively identified by the victim on June 1. Tate was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault,” said Officer Monica Fortson, with the Adult Sex Crimes Unit of the Houston Police Department.

Tate was arrested June 1 without incident in the 1900 block of Runnels. DNA analysis connected him to five more cases, and photo identification connected him to two more. He's suspected of sexually assaulting eight more women in northeast Houston between 2012 and 2016.

File: Dates and locations of sex assaults

Fortson said Tate searched for women he believed to be prostitutes who were walking alone on the street. He would pull alongside them and either try to entice them or force them into his car.

“He either offers them a ride, asking them would they like to make money, or basically telling them to get in the vehicle. When they do not, he has pulled out a knife in a majority of cases. In two cases, he pulls a firearm and forced them into vehicle. He drives them (a) short distance, physically assaults them and then sexually assaults them.” Officer Fortson said.

In 2013-14, there were no reported sex assaults matching his description, police said. Tate was living out of state during that time. Police say work records suggest he resided in Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Ohio in that period.

Anyone who believes they may have been sexually assaulted by Tate is asked to contact the HPD Special Victims Division-Adult Sex Crimes Unit at 713-308-1180.

Here is a list of the dates and locations of the assaults:

Feb. 10, 2012 - 10 p.m. - 1100 Greens Parkway

Feb. 27, 2015 - 1:40 p.m. - 3500 Melva

Oct. 4, 2015 - 2:30 a.m. - 4100 Lyons

Oct. 10, 2015 - 11 a.m. - 3400 Drew

Oct. 31, 2015 - 7 p.m. - 4600 Tidwell Road

Dec. 7, 2015 - 8 p.m. - 2500 Chew

Jan. 9, 2016 - 11:30 p.m. - 3600 Bayou Drive