A Silver Spring man has confessed to raping two women within two hours on Friday night, police say.
Al Louis Bell, 22, was arrested Saturday morning at a relative's Alexandria home. Prince George's County Police say he has confessed to both crimes.
In the earlier case, police say Bell assaulted a woman around 8:20 p.m. Friday at an apartment building in the 3800 block of St. Barnabas Road in Temple Hills. Police say Bell was an acquaintance of the first victim.
Neighbors told News4's Pat Collins they weren't shocked to hear of the incident.
"Some people have been held at gunpoint coming into the building so I'm not surprised," Sandy Alver said.
The second assault happened at about 10:10 p.m. Friday. Authorities say the second victim, who didn't know Bell, was attacked while walking in the 3900 block of Silver Hill Road in Temple Hills. Authorities say the suspect grabbed her and forced her to a nearby vacant home on Cedar Drive, where he sexually assaulted her multiple times.
The home has been a source of trouble in the neighborhood before.
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"Squatters took it over," said neighbor Tom Jones. "And we can't find out who owns it or anything."
Authorities said Monday they determined the cases were related and identified Bell as a suspect within hours.
"Very rarely do you find circumstances such as this," said Julie Parker of the Prince George's County Police Department.
Bell is charged with two counts of first-degree rape, first-degree assault and other related offenses. Bell could face up to three life terms if convicted.
He is in custody in Alexandria, awaiting extradition to Prince George's County.
