3 years ago
A photo taken on the night of Joan Diver's murder shows the man police have identified as the Bike Path Rapist at a party.
Police believe Diver was killed on the Clarence bike path in Newstead before noon on September 29, 2006. That night, Altemio Sanchez, the man police have identified as the Bike Path Rapist, was photographed at a party in Buffalo with his wife.
The picture is posted on an MSN Groups site. You can see the photo in our news story; click on the video link at the top right.
Is it a picture of a cold blooded killer who committed murder just hours before? Or is it a photograph of an innocent man enjoying a night out with his wife?
WEB EXTRA See what others are saying about the photo and the case in our Bike Path Rapist Forum.
What is known is that this is a picture of Altemio Sanchez. The man police and prosecutors believe is the so called "Bike Path Rapist".
And it was taken just hours after Joan Diver was killed.
An anonymous viewer alerted 2 On Your Side to a link for the photo on the internet.
2 On Your Side has spoken to four people who were at this party, including the person who took this picture. And they verified the party took place, and that Altemio Sanchez and his wife were there.
The party was at the Lafayette Tap Room the evening of September 29th 2006.
What potentially makes this picture so chilling is that September 29th, 2006 was the same day Joan Diver disappeared.
The Clarence mother's body was found a few days later along the Clarence Bike Path.
Investigators say DNA has linked Altemio Sanchez to the murder of Joan Diver and two other women.
Investigators believe Diver was killed sometime between 8:30 am and 12:30 pm the morning of Friday September 29, 2006.
That would mean the photo was taken less than 12 hours after police say Sanchez killed Joan diver.
Erie County District Attorney Frank Clark saw the picture Wednesday afternoon.
"If our theory is true, here's a picture of a man apparently socializing with people, having a good time, literally hours after he had committed a homicide. Does it surprise me? It does more than that. It scares me. That apparently is the face that he put forth to the world that you and I live in," said Clark.
It was also shown to Sanchez defense attorney Andrew C. LoTempio.
"We're denying that he was ever in the car or anywhere near her. The prosecution, and law enforcement, already convicted him. Our side of it (the picture) would be: does this guy look like someone who just murdered someone and who was in a struggle on a bike path? I'm getting letters from people saying they got the wrong guy," said LoTempio.
As for the party, four people there told 2 On Your Side it was an informal reunion for people who once worked for a Buffalo company that has now closed.
The party was originally planned for Friday October 6th, 2006, but was moved back one week earlier to September 29th because organizers didn't want the party on the same night as a home Buffalo Sabres game.
The Buffalo Sabres hosted the Montreal Canadiens at HSBC Arena on Friday October 6th, 2006.
In an another ironic twist, Kathleen Sanchez worked at that company located at 45 Oak Street.
That's the very same building where police announced that her husband was in police custody.
Erie County now leases office space at 45 Oak Street, and used the building to host the press conference announcing the arrest on Monday.
See what others are saying about the photo and the case in our Bike Path Rapist Forum.
