The suspect, 33-year-old Jose Juan Garcia-Perlera of Hyattsville, has been charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery. He was brought into custody on Wednesday, and is currently being held without bond.
Sources tell Channel 7 Garcia-Perlera is an illegal immigrant who has lived in the U.S. for six years.
DNA helped police link him to the murder of 63-year-old Mary Frances Havenstein and four other home-invasion robberies that have occurred since September of last year.
"I am greatly relieved to bring the news of this arrest to our community," Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger says. "We know that many of our residents and their loved ones have been living in fear since we first announced our belief that home invasions in Bethesda, Potomac, and Chevy Chase were linked."
Police say the robberies have several things in common: Each victim was older than 63 and tied up during the robberies; each home had a secluded backyard; none of the homes had an alarm system.
Havenstein's bound body was found at her home in the 8900 block of Seven Locks Road in Bethesda around 8:43 a.m. on Sept. 4. Police were called to the home after the woman's niece couldn't reach her.
Dating back to September of 2007, there have been several home invasion robberies in Montgomery County and D.C. targeting elderly residents, including:
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