Ontario Provincial Police have reported that a man from British Columbia has been arrested in connection with a series of violent sexual assaults that occurred almost thirty years ago in southwestern Ontario. The arrest of Jason Timothy Davidson, aged 52 and from Campbell River, was made possible through Project Aerial, a joint investigation involving the OPP and Sarnia police.
Davidson is currently facing 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 four victims being minors at the time.
Here are the details of each assault as provided by the police:
– On March 26, 1997, a teenage girl was abducted in Sarnia, taken to a rural area in Sombra Township, and sexually assaulted before the attacker fled.
– On May 23, 1997, another teenage girl was picked up near Highway 21 in Thamesville, driven to a wooded area, and assaulted.
– On June 7, 1997, an adult woman was sexually assaulted after being picked up while walking along Campbell Street in Sarnia.
– On August 20, 1997, a young girl was abducted while walking in Chatham and sexually assaulted in Dover Township, Kent County.
In all cases, the suspect fled the scene after the assaults, leaving the victims behind. Detective Inspector Michael Moore, who oversaw Project Aerial, mentioned that similarities in the attacks and suspect descriptions led to the realization that all four cases were connected. Advances in DNA technology and forensic analysis in 2024 helped identify Davidson as the suspect.
Davidson was apprehended in Campbell River with the assistance of the RCMP and Vancouver police. He has been remanded in custody and appeared in court in Chatham. Police are urging anyone with information about the case to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.