Summary
On April 14, 1995, a 16-year-old girl was walking home through the grounds of Amesbury Middle School in Toronto, Ontario, when she noticed a man following her. As she crossed the school field, the man ran toward her and ordered her to accompany him.
The man threatened the girl with an object that appeared to be a firearm and sexually assaulted her. After the attack, the girl fled to her home and told her mother what had happened. Police were contacted, and the girl later returned to the school grounds to show investigators where the assault occurred. She was taken to Women’s College Hospital, where a sexual assault examination was performed. Investigators also collected and preserved clothing that she had been wearing.
Despite investigative efforts, the person responsible for the assault could not be identified, and the case remained unsolved for nearly three decades.
In July 2023, Othram received a DNA extract developed from forensic evidence in the case. Othram scientists used Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive single nucleotide polymorphism profile for the unknown suspect. The resulting SNP profile was provided to the Toronto Police Service.
The Toronto Police Service conducted a forensic genetic genealogy search using the profile developed by Othram. This search generated new investigative leads, and in November of 2023, investigators identified Leslie Richard King as a person of interest.
On December 6, 2023, investigators recovered a cup King had discarded in a public garbage receptacle. Swabs collected from the cup’s lid were submitted to Ontario’s Centre of Forensic Sciences for DNA testing. The analysis determined that King could not be excluded as the source of the male DNA recovered from evidence in the 1995 assault.
King was arrested on February 8, 2024. Investigators subsequently obtained a warrant for a direct DNA sample from him. The Centre for Forensic Sciences compared that sample with the male DNA profile developed from the victim’s sweater and again determined that King could not be excluded as its source.
On October 29, 2026, King was found guilty of sexual assault. King, who was 25 years old at the time of the attack, had been charged with sexual assault with a weapon. He was found guilty of the lesser included offence of sexual assault after the court determined that the evidence did not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the object used during the attack was a firearm. King remains on bail and is expected to return to court for sentencing at a later date.
This is the 31st publicly announced case in Ontario where investigators have used technology developed by Othram to assist in solving a case. Learn about other cases in which investigators have leveraged Othram’s technology by visiting Othram’s website.
Dan Miller
Director of Customer Service
Dan guides law enforcement agencies across the United States and internationally through every step of the forensic process—from crime scene to courtroom. He ensures investigators have the support and resources they need to navigate advanced DNA testing and maximize the impact of forensic evidence in their cases.