CANADA Canada - Sonia Varaschin, 42, Orangeville, 29 Aug 2010 - #3

[Gina20]

Thanks for posting this dotr! The podcast (available via CityNews) gives a good summary/overview of Sonia's case for folks who are new here or who may have forgotten some of the big details. For me, I found it helpful to hear from Det. Glassford that LE still has Sonia's car (one of the 3 crime scenes) impounded, and recently conducted another examination of the vehicle to ensure all evidence has been collected. (I keep thinking about potential fingerprints on that rearview mirror! Sonia was not tall and maybe the mirror and/or seat were adjusted without thinking? Any chance there was a bloody trace?) I feel a wee sprig of hope springing....

Glassford also commented on how technology advances quickly, and so there's indeed hope that the DNA they have (he said) can give more info over time.

It was also worth listening to the podcast to hear Sonia's friend speak of their friendship and the experiences they shared especially in their college days. It's another reminder of how loved and lovely Sonia was. I know we know that already. But it's still a little bit of feel-good memory at a wearisome time, especially as we wait and wait and wait for answers in Sonia's case.

Is it too much to hope that those advancements in DNA analysis might find something from the car? It's hard to believe that someone left so many crime scenes and got away with it. I read just last week about a vehicle theft solved with DNA.

Police use DNA evidence to track down vehicle theft suspect in Guelph | Globalnews.ca

The Guelph Police Service recovered a stolen GMC Sierra pickup in the parking lot of a commercial plaza on Woodlawn Road West on July 30, 2022.

globalnews.ca

Thinking of you, Othram. Thank you, Detective Glassford and all the others who continue to seek answers.

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

According to this link (thanks to Gina20) there IS in fact a DNA data bank:

Police use DNA evidence to track down vehicle theft suspect in Guelph | Globalnews.ca

The Guelph Police Service recovered a stolen GMC Sierra pickup in the parking lot of a commercial plaza on Woodlawn Road West on July 30, 2022.

globalnews.ca

Excerpt:

Investigators say a DNA sample taken from the vehicle matched one that was in the national DNA data bank.

 

[Gina20]

According to this link (thanks to Gina20) there IS in fact a DNA data bank:

Police use DNA evidence to track down vehicle theft suspect in Guelph | Globalnews.ca

The Guelph Police Service recovered a stolen GMC Sierra pickup in the parking lot of a commercial plaza on Woodlawn Road West on July 30, 2022.

globalnews.ca

Excerpt:

Investigators say a DNA sample taken from the vehicle matched one that was in the national DNA data bank.

The U.S. has a DNA databank, run by the FBI. Canada's national DNA databank is run by the RCMP. I don't know about cross-border co-operation WRT DNA in Sonia's case.

Federal DNA Database Unit | Law Enforcement

The Federal DNA Database Unit (FDDU) aids investigations through hit confirmations against individuals whose profiles are in the National DNA Index System (NDIS).

le.fbi.gov

National DNA Data Bank of Canada - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Note that Canada has more than 600,000 samples on file as of 2022, but the U.S. only had 1M in 2015, for a much larger population. Also, they are restricting sample collection kits.

 

[2soccermom]

I think this article was posted in 2020 and updated this late March -- but I don't recall it (sorry if it was already recently or originally posted here. I know we've talked a lot about DNA testing processess on Sonia's thread many times already):

O.J. Simpson prosecutor challenges Sonia Varaschin murder investigators to test Canadian law on familial DNA testing

The recent interview in this paper of the lead detective in the Sonia Varaschin murder case and his submissive acceptance of the status quo prompted me to write this.

www.orangeville.com

The article is about the need (or not) to change Canadian law to allow familial DNA testing,

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

I don't recall if LE found Sonia's DNA with one other person's DNA OR was there a mixture of Sonia + more than one other.

 

[2soccermom]

I don't recall if LE found Sonia's DNA with one other person's DNA OR was there a mixture of Sonia + more than one other.

That's a great reminder, NSU, about the mixture. In this article from 2019 at ‘Who left the DNA?’ Sonia Varaschin murder investigators exploring ‘new science’ to find Orangeville nurse’s killer, we're told that "investigators continue to explore STR mix technology, which aims to separate multiple samples of DNA collected in one sample from each other."
And more explicitly: "We've taken advantage of some new DNA examinations. It’s called STRmix. That is science in the DNA world that is able to take a mixture of DNA and isolates each person. They can separate in a way they can determine different DNA profiles. It’s somewhat new. The technology has been around for a couple of years but it’s something that in the last year or two we’ve taken advantage of" (Glassford, at Sonia Varaschin murder still being actively investigated).
[I thought there was a more recent article that specifically stated there was a mix of DNA in Sonia's case and that the separation tech has been used ON the sample in her case, which is much more hopeful than the more ambiguous wording above. Hope I'm not misremembering!! I don't have time to look now. Will post later.]
I do recall that on the 12-year 'anniversary' LE said in the OPP video that there was a "minor" or "weak" male profile in the DNA, and that while that sample would always be what it was, the technology is ever-advancing.

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

Thank you 2soccermom.

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

‘Who left the DNA?’ Sonia Varaschin murder investigators exploring ‘new science’ to find Orangeville nurse’s killer

THE ISSUE: Unsolved murder LOCAL IMPACT: Family, community waits for answers nearly a decade later

www.orangeville.com

”We have your DNA” - what happened to that info? Do LE actually have the killer’s DNA or not? Confusing isn’t it?

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

I had to look this up for all of us:


What is STRmix DNA?


STRmix™ is expert forensic software, developed by ESR and Forensic Science South Australia (FSSA), that can resolve previously unresolvable mixed DNA profiles. STRmix™ uses a fully continuous approach for DNA profile interpretation, resolving complex DNA mixtures worldwide.

So, if used in Sonia’s case, are we to assume that LE think there were multiple killers involved?

 

[dotr]

Top of my head thoughts for now regarding potential perp/s, fwiw, imo, speculation.

Someone comfortable in a (presumably?) stranger's home.
Not freaked at the sight of a lot of blood.
No problems taking over another's car
Strong physically (and emotionally/mentally) regarding handling of a corpse.

Break and enter criminal?
Into online gore or seen it frequently, from violent neighbourhood, medic, gamer?
Experienced car thief, taxi driver, or some type valet?
Murdered before, or assisted in one, low regard for human life?

So maybe one who has committed Break and enters, possibly a car thief by night, or hijacks cars by day.
Living in or grew up where violence is not uncommon?

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

Building on dotr’s profile above:

Only cares for himself
Knows he will never get caught
Blatant disregard for human life, mainly women
Had help with the whole situation
Knew Sonia would be a challenge
Possibly related to LE
Possibly a hospital worker
Has violent blood fetishes
Sexually impotent with women/needs a lot of stimulation

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

Possibly an undertaker?
Possibly a blood bank worker?
Possibly a doctor/nurse?
Possibly a hunter?
Not married at the time of crime
Animal cruelty
Has no fear in a chaotic circumstance
Sloppy but easily gets the job done

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

If I recall correctly, Sonia had not been drugged prior to the killing. The killer had to be large and strong to overpower a young, healthy woman like Sonia. Did LE look for DNA under her fingernails? If so, what did they find?

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

Just thinking out loud here. I highly doubt this killer was known to police prior to the Sonia murder. I say this because he would know LE had no DNA on him, hence the brazen nature of the killing. JMO

 

[dotr]

Fwiw,​

DNA Identification Act

Federal laws of Canada

laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

'Act current to 2023-04-04 and last amended on 2018-03-06'

DNA Identification Act

Federal laws of Canada

laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

Comparison of Profiles and Communication and Use of Information​

Marginal note:Comparison of DNA profiles

• 5.5 (1) The Commissioner shall compare each DNA profile that is added to the crime scene index, the convicted offenders index, the victims index, the missing person index, the voluntary donors index or the human remains index with the DNA profiles that are already contained in those indices.
• Marginal note:Relatives of missing persons index
  (2) The Commissioner shall compare each DNA profile that is added to the relatives of missing persons index with the DNA profiles that are already contained in the missing persons index and the human remains index.
• 2014, c. 39, s. 238

Marginal note:Communication — match

• 6(1) If a comparison conducted under subsection 5.5(1) produces a match between DNA profiles, and none of the profiles that match is contained in the missing persons index or the human remains index, the Commissioner may communicate any information in relation to the profiles, to any laboratory or Canadian law enforcement agency that the Commissioner considers appropriate, for the purpose of
  • (a) if at least one of the profiles is contained in the victims index, the investigation of a designated offence with respect to which that profile was obtained; and
  • (b) in any other case, the investigation of any designated offence.
• Marginal note:Missing persons and human remains indices
  (2) If a comparison conducted under subsection 5.5(1) produces a match between DNA profiles, and at least one of the profiles that match is contained in the missing persons index or the human remains index, the Commissioner may communicate any information in relation to the profiles, to any investigating authority that the Commissioner considers appropriate, for the purpose of the investigation of a missing person or human remains.''

 

[FromGermany1]

Just thinking out loud here. I highly doubt this killer was known to police prior to the Sonia murder. I say this because he would know LE had no DNA on him, hence the brazen nature of the killing. JMO

Maybe, he had only some luck to escape the swapping, because his crimes weren't murder or similar.

 

[FromGermany1]

My personal "profile" + MOO (for a looong time):

Young man under 30yo.
Stature big and strong.
Driving car and motorbike.
Self employed (may have done work at Sonia's home?).
Mother, sister; father separated sometime /burdensome for him); father died later sometime (burdensome for him).
Problems/concerns because of him for his mother; unknown, because of what exactly; maybe some legal thing.
New wife of father had slightly similar look to Sonia, same type maybe.
2 x wrongdoing at least, 1 x weapon (gun) used (newspapers). (Sorry, I will not present a link.)
Relation to the main street, where the pavilion (CCTV) is near.
His address unknown to me; may have lived with the noisy crowd near Sonia?

I won't tell his name, because I can't be sure at all. But he doesn't escape from my mind for years. Of course, maybe great (!!) injustice on my part.
I've been thinking for a long time, whether I'm going to sit here in the nettles.

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

Our gut instincts are always correct. Please call LE or Crime Stoppers. We all owe this to Sonia. FromGermany please. It certainly cannot hurt at this point.

 

[No_Stone_Unturned]

Something FromGermany wrote just gave me this thought. Do we know if the killer arrived at Sonia’s home in a vehicle or was none seen? Why would he use Sonia’s car to dispose of the body, other than the huge amount of blood. Why did he leave her car in such a public place?

 

[dotr]

Something FromGermany wrote just gave me this thought. Do we know if the killer arrived at Sonia’s home in a vehicle or was none seen? Why would he use Sonia’s car to dispose of the body, other than the huge amount of blood. Why did he leave her car in such a public place?

Odd isn't it, the perp leaves the bloody car in a very public place, leaves blood on SV's front stairs for all to see and yet, finds it necessary to hide the wrapped in blood-soaked bedsheets, body belonging to Sonia? imo.

CityNews

toronto.citynews.ca

''In a news conference Friday, Ontario Provincial Police Det.-Insp. Mark Pritchard said police are looking for 42-year-old Sonia Varaschin’s beige or cream-coloured bed sheet and comforter that’s likely blood-soaked.

Investigators said the suspect likely walked out of the house with her bedding and possibly used it to wrap up, transport or dispose of her body.

“The blood would be expected to be on both footwear and clothing, so we’re asking that anybody who knows anybody that came home on Monday with unexplained blood on their clothing or their footwear contact the police so we can look into that matter,” said Insp. Pritchard.''

''Varaschin’s blood-splattered white Toyota Corolla was discovered abandoned in a laneway early Monday. More blood was found at her townhouse.

Police said she was driven from her townhouse and dumped, before the suspect returned the vehicle to her home.

New evidence shows the suspect may have seen and known Varaschin, but could have been a complete stranger to her.''