Toronto police say forensic genealogy has enabled them to arrest a suspect in an almost two-decade-old sexual assault case.
Investigators say on March 12, 2008, a suspect entered a retail establishment on The Queensway and Islington Avenue and allegedly sexually assaulted the lone employee inside, before fleeing the scene.
Police say the DNA of a man was collected as evidence at the scene, but no match was found.
In 2025, investigators say the case was selected for Investigative Genetic Genealogy, and a profile of a suspect emerged.
On June 11, 2026, police arrested 43-year-old Michael Robert Ashley of Burlington and charged him with sexual assault.
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