Serial rape suspect arrested 29 years after first crime, police say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston police have arrested a 62-year-old Atascocita man after linking him to four rapes spanning multiple decades.

Phillip Cerf was taken into custody on Tuesday morning and charged with four counts of aggravated sexual assault.

Police began investigating in June 1997 when a now-deceased woman told them a man, since identified as Cerf, offered her a ride as she was out walking in Acres Homes.

The victim told investigators that Cerf drove her to a ballpark in Independence Heights and raped her six times at gunpoint before hitting her in the back of the head with the gun.

Police linked Cerf to another rape in April 2009.

Court documents revealed that the victim told police that Cerf and a woman named Cookie lured her into a car with drugs.

After driving around for about 20 minutes, the victim said the other woman got out and that Cerf drove her to an Acres Homes graveyard, according to court documents.

He's accused of pulling a gun on the victim before raping and choking her.

Investigators released a sketch of Cerf following another rape in June 2013.

The victim said she was walking in north Houston and accepted a ride from Cerf after mistaking him for someone she knew.

Police say he drove the woman to a vacant lot, put a knife to her neck and raped her. After the attack, he allegedly ordered her out of the car and sped off.

Police say another woman was raped in north Houston in July 2016 after accepting a ride from Cerf.

She told detectives that Cerf showed her a gun in his waistband before raping her and ordering her out of the car.

According to court documents, investigators linked all four rapes together in July 2025 and developed Cerf as a suspect in February this year.

Undercover officers began surveilling him at his Atascocita apartment in April and were able to obtain his DNA for testing.

After an officer saw him spit on the ground, charging documents say police swabbed his saliva and that it matched DNA collected from all four victims.

During an interview with investigators Tuesday, Cerf denied raping the victims. He also claimed he's never owned a gun or given rides.

His bond was set at $2 million.