Skip to Main content

3.77°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

Oct 29, 2025 4:09 PM - Connect Newsroom

B.C. man charged in 1997 Ontario sexual assault cases after DNA breakthrough

Share On

b-c-man-charged-in-1997-ontario-sexual-assault-cases-after-dna-breakthrough

Ontario Provincial Police say advances in DNA technology led to the arrest of a Campbell River man in a 1997 sexual assault investigation. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

Ontario Provincial Police say a 52-year-old man from Campbell River, British Columbia, has been arrested in connection with a series of sexual assaults that took place across southwestern Ontario nearly three decades ago.

Investigators allege four females were assaulted in separate incidents between March and August 1997 in Lambton County, Kent County, and the city of Sarnia. Three of the victims were teenagers aged 15 and 16 at the time.

According to police, the suspect allegedly used a vehicle to drive each victim to a secluded area before committing the assaults and leaving them behind. The case remained unsolved for years until recent advances in DNA analysis linked the accused to the historic crimes.

The man now faces 15 charges, including three counts of sexual assault and four counts of forcible confinement. OPP have released photos of the suspect from 1996 and 2025 and are asking anyone with additional information to contact investigators.

Latest news

thousands-of-federal-employees-receive-potential-layoff-notices

CanadaJan 19, 2026

Thousands of federal employees receive potential layoff notices

Federal public service employees across multiple departments have been notified that their positions could be affected by upcoming workforce reductions. The notices, often called workforce adjustment notices, signal that job cuts may be coming but do not confirm who will ultimately lose employment. The Public Service Alliance of Canada reported that 1,775 of its members received notices last week. Affected employees work in areas including Public Services and Procurement Canada, Shared Services Canada, Statistics Canada, and the Treasury Board Secretariat. Similarly, the Professional Institute

public-hearing-opens-into-2015-death-of-myles-gray-following-vancouver-police-altercation

Public hearing opens into 2015 death of Myles Gray following Vancouver police altercation

A public hearing examining the 2015 death of Myles Gray during an encounter with Vancouver police begins today in Vancouver. The hearing, conducted by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, is expected to continue for 10 weeks and will investigate the circumstances surrounding Gray’s fatal injuries following a confrontation with multiple officers in Burnaby, B.C. The hearing was requested by Gray’s family after a discipline authority cleared all seven officers involved of misconduct in 2024. Margaret Gray, the mother of the 26-year-old, is scheduled to be the first witness. She h

AlbertaJan 19, 2026

Keyera temporarily closes Alberta Envirofuels plant after equipment failure

Keyera Corp. has temporarily shut down its Alberta Envirofuels facility following the failure of a critical component, the company confirmed. The unplanned outage began earlier this month, affecting the company’s biofuels operations in the province. The Calgary-based energy company, which operates pipelines, storage terminals, and natural gas processing facilities across Canada and the United States, said it anticipates the plant will resume operations in May. In light of the unexpected shutdown, Keyera plans to advance a six-week major turnaround originally scheduled for the fall, completin

canada-expresses-concern-over-u-s-threats-on-greenland-purchase

CanadaJan 19, 2026

Canada expresses concern over U.S. threats on Greenland purchase

Canada has raised concerns over recent U.S. threats of tariffs tied to its pursuit of Greenland, the self-governing Danish territory in the Arctic. Prime Minister Mark Carney described the situation as “concerning,” highlighting potential diplomatic tensions in the region. The warnings come after President Donald Trump announced that eight European nations-Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland-could face a 10 per cent tariff starting February 1. Trump said the tariffs could rise to 25 per cent on June 1 if no agreement is reached for the

supreme-court-defers-bikram-singh-majithias-bail-petition-to-february-2

IndiaJan 19, 2026

Supreme Court defers Bikram Singh Majithia’s bail petition to February 2

The Supreme Court on Thursday postponed the hearing of a bail petition filed by Punjab politician and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia. During the proceedings, the government requested two weeks to file its response, prompting the court to set the next hearing for February 2. Majithia, a prominent Akali Dal figure, was arrested on June 25 in connection with a case registered by the Vigilance Bureau. He faces allegations of acquiring assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The postponement means that the legal process regarding his bail will continue into next mo

Related News

Public hearing opens into 2015 death of Myles Gray following Vancouver police altercation

Public hearing opens into 2015 death of Myles Gray following Vancouver police altercation

A public hearing examining the 2015 death of Myles Gray during an encounter with Vancouver police begins today in Vancouver. The hearing, conducted by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, is expected to continue for 10 weeks and will investigate the circumstances surrounding Gray’s fatal injuries following a confrontation with multiple officers in Burnaby, B.C. The hearing was requested by Gray’s family after a discipline authority cleared all seven officers involved of misconduct in 2024. Margaret Gray, the mother of the 26-year-old, is scheduled to be the first witness. She h

Surrey police investigate suspected extortion shooting in Bear Creek neighbourhood

Surrey police investigate suspected extortion shooting in Bear Creek neighbourhood

Surrey police say they are investigating what is believed to be an extortion-related shooting after a residence was damaged by gunfire early Saturday morning in the city’s Bear Creek neighbourhood. According to the Surrey Police Service, officers were called to the 8600 block of Galway Crescent around 2:20 a.m. following reports of shots fired. Police say the targeted home was occupied at the time and sustained damage, but no injuries were reported. Investigators say the case is still in its early stages, and officers may return to the area as they continue searching for physical and digital

Abbotsford hotel death under investigation by IHIT

Abbotsford hotel death under investigation by IHIT

Abbotsford police have turned over an investigation into a death at a local hotel to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team. Police say officers were called to a report of suspicious circumstances at a hotel along Marshall Road near Clearbrook Road. When patrol members arrived, they located a deceased person inside one of the hotel rooms. Investigators believe the incident was isolated to that room and say there is no ongoing risk to the public. Police have also stated there is no connection between this case and recent extortion related incidents reported elsewhere in the Fraser Valley. O

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital