Ontario Provincial Police have announced the charging of a man from British Columbia in connection with a series of violent sexual assaults that occurred nearly three decades ago across southwestern Ontario. The OPP revealed on Wednesday that the arrest of 52-year-old Jason Timothy Davidson from Campbell River was a result of Project Aerial, a collaborative investigation with Sarnia police.
Davidson is now facing a total of 15 charges, including aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping, forcible confinement, and uttering threats. The assaults took place between March and August 1997 in Lambton County, Kent County, and the City of Sarnia, with three of the victims being minors at the time.
Providing details on each case, the police outlined the incidents that occurred in 1997:
– March 26, 1997: A teenage girl was abducted in Sarnia near Exmouth Street and Indian Road, taken to a rural area in Sombra Township, and sexually assaulted.
– May 23, 1997: Another teenage girl was picked up near Highway 21 in Thamesville by an unidentified man and assaulted in a wooded area.
– June 7, 1997: An adult woman walking along Campbell Street in Sarnia was picked up by a man in a red vehicle, taken to a remote area, and sexually assaulted.
– Aug. 20, 1997: A young girl was abducted while walking on Grand Avenue West in Chatham, then sexually assaulted in Dover Township, Kent County.
In all instances, the suspect fled the scene after the assaults, leaving the victims behind. The investigations into the cases were initially conducted separately by local authorities until similarities in the attacks and suspect descriptions were noticed, leading to the collaborative effort of Project Aerial.
Detective Inspector Michael Moore, who oversaw the investigation, highlighted the persistence of investigators in linking the assaults through DNA evidence and advanced forensic analysis, culminating in the arrest of Davidson in Campbell River with the assistance of the RCMP and Vancouver police. Davidson has been brought back to Ontario and is currently in custody, with a court appearance scheduled for November 7 in Chatham.
Acknowledging the significance of the arrest, Moore emphasized the closure it may bring to the survivors and their families, commending the dedication of law enforcement in solving the long-standing case. The OPP encourages anyone with information related to the investigation to contact them at 1-888-310-1122.