Texas neighborhood watch captain named as suspect in Dallas serial rapes

A Texas neighborhood watch captain has been named as the leading suspect in string of rapes in the Dallas area.

Dallas police announced on Sunday that DNA evidence had linked 38-year-old Van Dralan Dixson to at least one of nine sexual assaults in South Dallas. Authorities were waiting on test results to confirm the link to other cases.

KTVT reported that Dixson had been head of the Mill City Community Association crime watch from January until these allegations surfaced.

"I wouldn’t have thought it was him," one neighbor told the station. “It’s scary to live that close to someone that’s doing that.”

“It was very scary, it still is, until they catch him,” she added.

Police said that Dixson had left his children in the care of family members and was believed to be on the run.

"Dallas Police detectives have no information that leads to the belief that suspect Dixson is on the run with his children," a statement from police said.

A reward for information leading to his arrest and indictment was set at $15,000. Police described him as a 5 foot, 7 inch black male, weighing about 185 pounds.

Watch this video from KTVT, broadcast Sept. 8, 2013.