Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a man who has been wanted for more than 50 years.
A then 30-year-old woman was asleep when she was awoken and raped and by a stranger in the bedroom of her Fitzroy home during the early hours of the morning on 22 July,1974.
Nine days later police arrested and charged George Karakis with rape, burglary and indecent assault.
Karakis was bailed on a $1000 surety put up by his wife and was set to face Fitzroy Magistrates' Court on 9 October, 1974, but he never appeared.
Karakis, who was born in Turkey and required a Greek translator during his police interview, has been on the run from police ever since.
New South Wales officers believed they had located him in the eastern suburbs of Sydney in 1990 but he fled before a warrant could be executed.
A fresh appeal for public assistance was launched in 2015 but failed to result in Karakis being located.
More than half a century on from when he was last in custody, police are releasing his 1974 mug shot along with a digitally generated image of what the now 78-year-old could look like today.
At the time of his arrest Karakis was a 27-year-old living in Gore Street, Fitzroy with his wife, sister and brother-in-law.
He was recorded as being about 162cm tall with brown eyes and had a 2cm scar over his left eyebrow.
Quotes attributable to Yarra Crime Investigation Unit Detective Senior Constable Ruby Roberts:
"Our victim survivor is now in her 80s and been forced to live most of her adult life knowing this man has not faced court for the brutal crime he is accused of," she said.
"This crime changed her life forever and 50 years is a long time to live without the justice we would so dearly like to give her.
"There will absolutely be people out there who know where Karakis fled and may even know where he is now residing.
"Given the length of time, there is also the possibility he has passed away - we just want to find answers so we can close this chapter in our victim's life.
"Sometimes the smallest piece of information is all we need to get that break-through lead that could result in an arrest."
Anyone with information about Karakis's whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
