Man charged in 1992 Tampa murder

TAMPA - Nearly two decades after a woman was killed in Tampa, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has charged a suspect in her murder.

Rocky Juarez, 43, was already serving time in the Florida state prison convicted of murder, but on Wednesday investigators booked him again.

He is charged in the murder of 32-year old Rachel Guiles in 1992. Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee says he was a "serial killer in the making."

Guiles disappeared in the University area of North Tampa.

"She was not someone who had problems with law enforcement or anything like that. I think she was just living in that area," Gee said.

Police believe Juarez and Guiles met at the Brass Mug Pub in Tampa.

"In her mind probably, a harmless interaction, and she met up with the wrong guy," according to Gee.

A few days later, Guiles body was found in a group of trees on North 15th Street. She was sexually assaulted and strangled. Juarez was convicted of killing Tina Marie Pitts of Tampa the same way in 2002.

"I don't think that this guy is ever going to see daylight based on the current sentence that he's doing," Gee said.

Investigators say this cold case may never have been solved if not for advanced DNA testing performed within the Sheriff's office.

Old evidence collected 17-years ago was re-examined with new technology. Scientists found a match and say their suspect has been in prison for years.

"Every time someone is arrested or convicted and they come into the system. That creates a new tool for law enforcement to hit on these cold cases," Jim Madden said.

That same technology may lead to even more charges for Juarez.

"There is certainly the possibility that he may be involved in other murders that are not yet known to law enforcement, and we're back to the areas where we believe he lived and trying to collect him to other murders," Gee said.

Investigators believe Juarez came to Tampa from California just before Guiles death. He also served six years for attempted sexual battery of a third woman.