Georgia manhunt for suspected serial killer.....Girlie

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- The FBI and other law enforcement agencies searched Tuesday for Derrick Todd Lee, who they think has killed five women in Louisiana.

An arrest warrant was issued Monday for Lee, 34, who authorities said has been linked by DNA lab tests to the killings. The manhunt for Lee focused largely on Atlanta, where officials believe Lee has been hiding for several days.

"We've tracked him to several places -- Chicago, [Illinois}, then to Atlanta," said U.S. Marshal Richard Mecum. "He's been to Atlanta a couple of times. This is his second time here. He's been working in Atlanta for the past week as best as we can tell. We feel that he is still here in Atlanta."

Lee has experience in construction, and may be working day labor jobs to get cash, officials said. Lee was spotted in the Georgia capital Monday, FBI officials said. Someone saw him at a hotel and called authorities, who confirmed the report, officials said.

People who know Lee also told the task force investigating the serial killings that he had fled to the Atlanta area after submitting samples for genetic testing.

Based on a tip, law enforcement officials called Lee in for questioning two weeks ago, and he voluntarily submitted to DNA testing before being released, a member of the serial killer task force said.

A task force spokesman said DNA tests showed "highly unusual genetic markers." He said the chances that another person besides Lee could have those markers is "something like one in four billion."

Lee's most recent address was in St. Francisville, Louisiana, 40 miles from Baton Rouge, police said.

He is also wanted on federal charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Police said Lee is considered to be armed and dangerous.

Police have searched Lee's home, the home of his mother and a nearby apartment where Lee is believed to have had a girlfriend.

Connecting killings

DERRICK TODD LEE Police said Lee is considered armed and dangerous. He is black, 6 feet 1, with short hair, a light-to-medium complexion and a muscular build. Anyone with information should call: •Local law enforcement •Special task force: (866) 389-3310 •FBI violent crime squad: (404) 679-9000 At a news conference in Baton Rouge on Monday, police identified Lee as the prime suspect in the killings of Gina Wilson Green, Charlotte Murray Pace, Pam Kinamore, Trineisha Dene Colomb and Carrie Lynn Yoder, all killed in the past two years.

Officials said several samples taken from Lee matched DNA evidence taken from the five killings under investigation by the task force, a source said.

According to the arrest warrant, lab tests first linked Lee to Yoder, 26, a graduate student at Louisiana State University (LSU), whose body was found a week after her disappearance. An autopsy determined Yoder was strangled after being beaten and raped.

The warrant states DNA swabs from Yoder's body matched the DNA evidence from the four other killings.

A task force of local police, state police and federal officials also has been investigating to see whether any other slain women are connected to the killer.

The killings began in Baton Rouge in September 2001, when Green, 41, was found strangled near the LSU campus.

Home invasion cases

Police hunting the killer released a sketch late Friday of a man responsible for three home invasions they think might be connected to the slayings. The sketch matches the description of Lee given Monday.

Authorities in Baton Rouge said Friday that in the three home invasion cases last year, the man gained access to women's homes by introducing himself -- in two cases as "Anthony" -- and extending his hand to shake theirs when they opened the door.

The man asked to look at a phone book and use the phone, and asked whether the woman's husband or boyfriend was at home. Once satisfied that there was nothing to deter him, he struck, the sheriff said. In one of the cases, he assaulted the female victim.

Officials said there is no conclusive evidence that connects the killer to the home invasions, but they also said the suspect could not be ruled out.

****UPDATE - Suspect has been caught!!!****

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