Toronto Police Service Leverages Othram's Genetic Testing Platform to Solve the 1982 Murder of Kevin McBride
dnasolves.com
''In May 1982 Kevin McBride, who was 47 at the time, was the victim of a homicide and died by multiple stab wounds inside his apartment at 311-5600 Sheppard Ave East. Officers were originally asked to attend Kevin's residence by concerned friends who had dinner plans with him and were unable to reach him. Kevin McBride lived alone and was not associated with any criminality. He was last seen on May 15, 1982, two days prior to his body being located. A thorough investigation was conducted in 1982 and investigators were able to determine that the deceased’s vehicle, a credit card and other effects had been stolen and used between May 15 and May 17, 1982, suggesting the date of the murder was May 15, 1982.
The case remained unsolved and was revisited in 2016 by Toronto Police Homicide Cold Case investigators. The primary focus of the ensuing investigation was to re-test exhibits and seized items from the original investigation to determine if advancements in forensic testing and a DNA databank creation could determine any further leads. Testing of evidence found at the crime scene revealed a male profile, not of the deceased. However the identity of the man who left behind this male profile was could not be determined.''
In a macabre race against time, the Grim Reaper beat Toronto Police cold case detectives to the punch.
torontosun.com
''On Monday, homicide investigators are announcing they have solved the brutal stabbing death of Australian immigrant McBride, who had lived in Canada for about 17 years when he was slain.
''The killer — if still alive — would have been charged with first-degree murder, Det. Sgt. Steve Smith, cold case unit leader, told the Toronto Sun.
The suspect’s name was William Taylor and he died last May in Alberta. He was 75.
“Mr. McBride was an art dealer and these guys (Taylor and a suspected fence) had lived in the same places and they set out to rob him,” Smith said. “But Taylor died just before we got onto him.”
Taylor was an American citizen and knew McBride, an avid collector of valuable artifacts. Smith said a fence was also implicated — though not in the murder itself — and proving guilt after nearly 42 years would be difficult.''