Texas cops hunt serial killer as DNA links two murders amid fears 'there could be more'

DNA evidence linked two murders that took place six years apart to a "person of interest", according to police in Texas.

The murder of Alyssa Ann Rivera was linked to another unsolved killing through DNA evidence by Austin Police Department . Rivera, 34 was found inside an abandoned home on June 21.

Police linked her death to the unsolved death of Alba Jenisse Aviles, 28, who was killed six years ago in 2018. She was found dead inside a silver Ford sedan in Bastrop County, which is a mere few miles from where Rivera was found. Both women were strangled and had injuries that were "sexual in nature."

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Investigators said Avile met the suspect at an Austin bar called Club Caribe, three miles from where Rivera was killed . Footage released by the department shows Rivera walking with a man, who police have categorized as a "person of interest," right before she was killed.

"There was a DNA link found between this case, and April 14th, 2018, in the unsolved murder of Alba Jenisse Aviles," Sgt. Nathan Sexton of the Austin Police Department said. "Both victims are believed to have been sexually assaulted— it was DNA found in both scenes, like multiple sources of DNA at both scenes."

The usefulness of the new DNA evidence is limited, however, as law enforcement officials reported trouble tracking the man using a DNA index system, which means he hasn't been arrested before. Sexton added: "Unfortunately that suspect does not come back to CODIS, what we call the national database, so they're not in that system."

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The department has joined forces with the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office to use the DNA to identify a suspect. He added: "We're trying to compare notes and see if there's anyone that may come up in both cases or may have lived here; so it will take quite a bit of research in going through the data."

There is a possibility the two cases are linked to more murders . Rivera's family created a GoFundMe after their loved one's body was discovered, it read: "As many know, our daughter, Alyssa Rivera was found murdered."

"We still have no answers as to how or why. But in the meantime, we need to lay her to rest and are asking for any assistance in doing so. Alyssa was the most kind and big-hearted soul. And anyone who knew her knew that. Please help us give our daughter the burial she deserves. Every bit helps and is greatly appreciated."

An anonymous family member also said: "We love her so much, and we can't even imagine this happened to her," according to CBS. "If you met Alyssa one time, you would never forget her. She didn't deserve this. She didn't and neither did we."