Police: Man sought in Philadelphia home invasion, sexual assault of senior citizen

PHILADELPHIA - Authorities are searching for a man who they say entered a senior citizen's home through an unlocked door and assaulted her before forcing her to undress. 

Police named 22-year-old Zyree Downing as a suspect in the heinous assault of a 71-year-old woman inside a home on the 7400 block of Devon Street in mid-September. 

Authorities believe Downing entered the home through an unlocked door and demanded money from the elderly victim. 

When she refused, investigators say Downing punched the victim in the head and back and started chocking her. He then forced the victim to disrobe and sexually assaulted her, according to police.

He is believed to have taken the victim's cell phone and credit card before fleeing in her gray 2014 Toyota Corolla. 

Anyone with information on Downing's whereabouts should contact police immediately.