Ep 30. On the Trail of the Bike Path Rapist

On the Trail of the Bike Path Rapist is an episode from the first season of Dateline On ID, a television series that investigates real-life crime stories. The episode covers the case of a serial rapist who terrorized a community in western New York in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The episode begins by recounting the story of a young woman named Linda Yalem, who was brutally raped and murdered on a bike path near her home in 1990. The crime shocked the quiet suburb where she lived, and police struggled to make progress in the case. However, they soon realized that Linda was not the first victim of the perpetrator, who had been attacking women on the same bike path for years.

The show follows the investigation as detectives use DNA evidence to try and track down the man responsible for the attacks. Along the way, they encounter false leads and frustrating dead ends, but they finally manage to identify a suspect: a construction worker named Altemio Sanchez.

Sanchez's DNA is a match for the evidence found at the crime scenes, but police are cautious in their approach, knowing that he could be dangerous. They follow him and collect more evidence, eventually arresting him for the murders of Linda Yalem and two other women.

The episode also features interviews with some of the victims of the attacks and their families, who share their experiences and the impact that the crimes had on their lives. It also explores the psychology of serial offenders and the challenges that investigators face when trying to catch them.

Overall, On the Trail of the Bike Path Rapist offers a fascinating insight into the world of criminal investigation and the complex, sometimes heartbreaking stories of the victims of violent crime. It is a gripping and emotional episode that leaves viewers with a real sense of the impact that these crimes can have on individuals and communities alike.