EDMONTON — A 66-year-old Ontario man has been charged in a sexual assault reported in Edmonton nearly four decades ago.
Police say they responded to a call around 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 18, 1981, after a 36-year old woman left her vehicle in a parkade and was sexually assaulted and robbed by an unknown man.
Investigators were never able to identify or locate a suspect, despite what police say was a thorough investigation.
Officers with the historical crimes section of the Edmonton Police Service say they re-evaluated the file in October 2018 using modern investigative techniques.
A DNA profile of the suspect was developed and a match was found using the national DNA data bank.
John Edward Beausoleil was arrested on Feb. 26 at his home in Orillia, Ont.
He has been returned to Edmonton where he's facing charges of rape and robbery under the 1981 Criminal Code.
"Despite our best efforts, historical files can be difficult to solve," said Staff Sgt. Ryan Tebb with the historical crimes section. "We are pleased that our review of this particular investigation was successful, and today's technology was able to assist us with an arrest."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2020
The Canadian Press