Steven A. Hobbs: A Modern Jack the Ripper?

Photo by HCSO

Steven Hobbs: Possible serial killer of hookers.

​Harris County Sheriff's investigators say they think a security guard who wanted to be a cop might have been a serial killer who terrorized prostitutes.

Steven A. Hobbs, 40, is already in jail on charges of capital murder, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated assault and kidnapping of women. He "is accused of attacking at least six women -- most or all of them prostitutes -- during the last nine years," the HCSO says.

Investigators said today they are using DNA evidence to probe at least 15 past killings and believe Hobbs may be the culprit in some of them.

"Steven Hobbs is a predator, and he's been a predator for at least a decade," HCSO homicide Lt. Rolf Nelson said.

Patricia Pyatt, murder victim

​"We are looking at any case that could be remotely linked, and we are in the very early stages of that right now," said Sgt. Eric Clegg of the HCSO cold case squad, according to the Houston Chronicle. "We're focusing just on the eastside, and right now we're looking at about 15 cases."

Hobbs has been charged in the 2002 strangulation death of Patricia Ann Pyatt, 38. Earlier this week he was charged with capital murder in the 2010 death of Sarah Jeanette Sanford, 48.

Investigators are looking for survivors of attacks by Hobbs.

Sheriff Adrian Garcia exhorted anyone with information about these or similar attacks to call sheriff's investigators (713-967-5810) or Crime Stoppers of Houston (713-222-TIPS) or send a text message through a smart phone application accessible at iWatchHarrisCounty.com