By Sean Hauser and Joe Dominguez
s.hauser@krdo.com

PUEBLO - The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, Pueblo Police Department and District Attorney's Office say 47-year-old Robert Bruce may be tied to decades of crime in Pueblo and surrounding states.

Bruce was arrested and charged with attempted murder of a Pueblo police officer and his family.  The Sheriff's Office says Bruce allegedly placed a propane tank outside the home of Officer Nathan Pruce in October.  The propane tank had a hose attached to the nosel and ran underneath Pruce's garage door.  Pruce noticed the device and called 911.  The bomb squad reportedly found high levels of proane inside the officers home that could have easily caused an explosion.

Officer Nathan Pruce was scheduled to testify against Robert Bruce in court the same morning.  Bruce was appearing in court for misdemeanor peeping tom charges.  He never showed up to his scheduled appearance and was later arrested the same night.

Detective work following that attempt on Officer Pruce's life led detectives to Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Bruce used to live there and his DNA is linked to at least 12 rapes in that area from the 1990's.  He was nicknamed "Ether Man" because he would use a chemically soaked rag to put over his victims nose and mouth to render them unconscious.

Pueblo Police Chief Jim Billings says these developments also open up the possibility that Bruce is responsible for unsolved sexual assault cases in Pueblo during his 7 years living here. When asked how many cases could potentially open Chief Billings declined to give a specific number but says based on Bruces method of operating during these alleged attacks it reopens one case immediately.  Chief Billings says they'd like to hear from victims of sexual assault who have not come forward for details on the attack.

Robert Bruce remains in custody at the Pueblo County Jail and faces two counts of Criminal Attempt To Commit Murder in the First Degree and Possesion of Explosive or Incendiary Device.  District Attorney Bill Thiebeaut says his office intends to pursue those charges and has not talked about Bruce's possible exrtadition back to New Mexico.

Detectives spent Monday afternoon searching Bruce's home for new evidence that may help them link him to other rape cases.

According to an artcile written in the Albuquerque Journal, the "Ether Man" case was scheduled to be featured in this weeks "America's Most Wanted."

Stay tuned to NEWSCHANNEL 13 and KRDO.com for updates on this story.