DNA Match Links Man to 2013 Rape

A sexual assault cold-case from nearly 13 years ago has been solved by a confirmed DNA match of the man suspected of raping a 16-year-old Las Cruces girl.

Juan Pablo Delgado-Palma, 53, was arrested Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, and is charged with one count of criminal sexual penetration of a minor. The charge is a second-degree felony.

In December 2013, a 16-year-old girl reported a sexual assault that occurred in a drainage canal off north Main Street in Las Cruces. The victim told investigators she did not know the man but was able to provide a limited physical description of him. She also underwent a sexual assault exam that produced a DNA sample of the suspect.

The DNA sample was submitted to CODIS, the Combined DNA Index System, but there was no immediate match on file.

In 2025, a DNA sample was collected from Delgado-Palma after he was detained at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Albuquerque. His DNA was entered into CODIS and it matched the evidence submitted in the 2013 case in Las Cruces.

Upon further investigation, detectives determined that the physical description provided by the victim in 2013 matched the physical characteristics of Delgado-Palma.

Delgado-Palma was arrested on Oct. 29 and is currently being held without bond at the Dona Ana County Detention Center.