Jul 24, 2008 10:14 am US/Eastern
Suspect In 9 Rapes Dies After Shooting Himself
HYATTSVILLE, Md. (AP) ―
Prince George's County police say a Suitland man suspected of raping at least nine women has died after shooting himself in the head.
Police say Mark Antonio Humphries, 33, shot himself Wednesday afternoon while barricaded inside a Hyattsville apartment. He was taken to the hospital and died about 10:30 p.m.
Police say Humphries visited Craigslist and chat rooms to set up dates with professional escorts. When the women showed up, police say they were attacked by a masked man.
The rapes began in August but were not linked until early this year.
Police obtained an arrest warrant Sunday in a July 14 assault and tracked Humphries to the Hyattsville apartment Wednesday.
Police set up a barricade after no one answered officers' knocks.
Later, they heard a gunshot and found Humphries inside wounded from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot.
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