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About 25 years after a pregnant woman was found strangled to death in a Toronto parking lot, authorities have arrested and charged a suspect.
In a Feb. 7 press release announcing the arrest of 50-year-old Ronald Ackerman in connection with the 1998 death of 24-year-old Donna Oglive, the Toronto Police Service said investigators identified a suspect through genetic genealogy testing, with the help of calls with information that came with the police department’s podcast highlighting cold cases.
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“Advances in forensic technology along with the unwavering dedication of our team and investigative partners have led us to this arrest,” Detective Sergeant Stephen Smith said at a Feb. 7 news conference, per the release.
“Our thoughts remain with Donna’s family and friends who have endured decades of grief and unanswered questions,” Smith added. “No matter how much time passes, we do not give up on victims of homicide.”Donna Oglive.
Investigators developed a man’s DNA profile using evidence taken from the scene, but no match was found, and the case went cold.
“Genealogists began tracking the DNA in 2022, leading to Ackerman’s family,” the release states. “Investigators were able to gather a sample and make a match last year.”
Years before this breakthrough, a YouTube video was released calling for information, and in October 2021, the case was featured in 24 Shades of Blue, a Toronto Police Service podcast highlighting unsolved murders.
On Feb. 6, Ackerman, of Gander, Newfoundland, was arrested at Pearson International Airport, according to police. Police said Ackerman was living in nearby Scarborough and working as a truck driver at the time of Oglive’s killing.Ronald Ackerman.