Accused rapist charged in Montco stabbing death

A man who failed to show up to court in central Pennsylvania to face rape charges in September has been charged with fatally stabbing a man in Norristown while on the lam.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said today that 28-year-old Chad Wilcox is being charged with killing Manual Hakimian on Sept. 21, then stealing the victim's wallet and car and fleeing the area.

Hakimian, 36, was found dead on the 300 block of East Logan Street, suffering from cut wounds to his neck.

Authorities had been looking for Wilcox since he didn't appear in court in Lycoming County on Sept. 15. He had been scheduled to face trial on charges that included rape of a child and other offenses. The victim in that case was a 6-year-old girl, court documents say.

Detectives probing Hakimian's death tracked Wilcox through Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina.

Prosecutors said Wilcox was spotted driving the stolen car in Bowling Green, Ky., on Sept. 24 and escaped from police while fleeing on foot after crashing the vehicle in a field.

A few days later, he surrendered to police in Benson, N.C., for the Lycoming County bench warrant, prosecutors said.

He was questioned about Hakimian's death, and admitted to communicating with the victim through Craigslist, according to the district attorney's office. Wilcox told investigators he planned to offer a sexual encounter to Hakimian, then rob him, prosecutors said.

He is now in custody at the Lycoming County Prison.

Wilcox is slated to have a preliminary arraignment in the murder case this afternoon via video. Court records show he is facing charges in that case that include murder, burglary, robbery and other offenses.