OPP arrest B.C. man after investigation into serial sexual assaults in 1997

Ontario Provincial Police have arrested a 52-year-old British Columbia man in connection with a historical serial sexual assault investigation in southwestern Ontario.

Police say between March and August of 1997, four separate sexual assaults happened in Kent County, Lambton County, and Sarnia. The following information about those cases has been released:

On March 26, 1997, a female youth was abducted in the area of Exmouth Street and Indian Road in Sarnia. She was taken by an unidentified man driving a dark blue, small- or mid-sized vehicle to a location in Lambton County where she was sexually assaulted.

Almost two months later on May 23, 1997, another female youth was picked up by a driver in a light blue or grey two-door vehicle while walking along Highway 21 in Thamesville, Kent County. The male driver took her to a wooded area and sexually assaulted her.

The third case was opened On June 7, 1997, after an adult woman was picked up by a man in a red vehicle while walking on Campbell Street in Sarnia. Similarly to the other incidents, he drove her to a remote area nearby and proceeded to sexually assault her.

The fourth incident happened on Aug. 20, 1997, when a young girl was picked up along Grand Avenue West in Chatham by a male driver in a blue vehicle. She was taken to Dover County and sexually assaulted there.

Police say that in all four cases, the assailant drove away after the assault, leaving each victim at the site of the attack.

At the time, investigators believed that the same person was responsible for all four assaults. Eventually, the cases from March and June 1997 were linked to the same assailant using DNA analysis and investigative efforts. Despite proof of the connection, the identity of the suspect remained unknown for many years.

In January, 2024, advancements in DNA technology linked the four assaults to the same person. OPP say they used Investigative Genetic Genealogy and other techniques to make an identification.

On Sunday, with assistance from the RCMP and Vancouver police, OPP arrested Jason Timothy Davidson, 52, of Campbell River, British Columbia in connection with their investigation.

Davidson is facing 15 charges, including aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon, forcible confinement, kidnapping, and theft.

He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court in Chatham on Wednesday.

“First and foremost, we recognize the incredible courage of the victims who came forward and endured nearly three decades of uncertainty while waiting for answers,” OPP Detective Inspector Michael Moore said in a statement Wednesday.

“This arrest marks a major breakthrough in a decades-old investigation, made possible through advancements in DNA technology, Investigative Genetic Genealogy and by the tireless dedication of police and our partners. While we know nothing can erase the pain of these experiences, we hope that these charges bring some measure of resolution to the victims and their families.”

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