After nearly three decades, Ontario Provincial Police say they’ve made a breakthrough in a 1997 serial sexual assault investigation, charging a Campbell River, B.C., man with multiple offences.
The OPP confirmed that Jason Timothy Davidson, 52, faces 15 charges, including aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping, forcible confinement, and uttering threats, following a joint investigation with Sarnia Police under Project Aerial.
The charges stem from four violent assaults that occurred between March and August 1997 in Lambton County, Kent County, and the City of Sarnia. Investigators say three of the four victims were minors at the time.
For years, DNA evidence confirmed the assaults were linked to the same suspect, but the individual’s identity remained unknown. That changed in 2024, when new forensic methods, including investigative genetic genealogy, allowed police to identify and locate Davidson.
He was arrested Sunday in Campbell River with assistance from the RCMP and Vancouver Police, and has since been returned to Ontario.
“This arrest reflects decades of persistence and commitment,” said OPP Deputy Commissioner Marty Kearns. “It reinforces our dedication to delivering answers and supporting victims.”
Davidson remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in Chatham court on Wednesday.
Police say the arrest marks a major milestone in a case that haunted investigators for nearly 30 years — and highlights how evolving DNA technology is helping bring closure to long-unsolved crimes.
