Kenneth Smith
Kenneth Smith | |
|---|---|
 Two images of Kenneth Smith from a Toronto Police video, where they confirm he was a serial killer, identified by DNA he left behind. | |
| Born |
1947 |
| Died |
2019 (aged 72) |
| Known for | DNA suggests he was a serial killer who got away with his killings for 37 decades |
Kenneth Smith was a Canadian whose DNA matched the killer in three killings in Toronto, from 1982, 1983 and 1997.[1] Smith died in 2019, before he was identified as a killer.[2]
In 2016 Police compared the DNA of victims where the killers were unknown to a DNA database set up for people to find unknown relatives, and found three victims Christine Prince, Gracelyn Greenidge and Claire Samson who were all killed by a single killer.[2]
DNA experts call the use of databases, like 23andme and ancestry.ca, for forensic purposes, investigative genetic genealogy (IGG).[3] In 2022 Toronto Police said they believed there were appropriate DNA samples for 43 of the cases in their 700 cold case files.
Smith had a record of convictions for sexual assault, and Police suspect he may have been responsible for other killings, for which there was no DNA evidence.[2][4] Smith was convicted for the kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14 year old girl, in 1976, and spent several years in prison. He was convicted of weapons charges in 1985, and served a two sentence, and was convicted on weapons charges again, 1987. He was held for seven years following this conviction. A Police spokesmen said both weapons convictions followed plea deals, during which sexual assault charges were dropped.
Smith's DNA would have immediately been found, when the DNA found with his victims was tested, if his DNA had been recorded after his earlier sex charges had been filed, except Police didn't start keeping a record of DNA of the suspects in sex crimes until 2000.[4]
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Abby O'Brien; Daysha Loppie; Peter Edwards (2025-12-11). "Their murders baffled police for decades. Who were the Toronto women that Kenneth Smith is accused of killing?". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2
Ethan Lang (2025-12-11). "Toronto police ID killer in 3 homicide cold cases involving young women". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2025-12-18. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
In 2016, police found a link between the deaths of Prince and Samson through a national DNA database, OPP Chief Supt. Karen Gonneau said. Then in 2017, they found a link between those two slayings and Greenidge's.
- ↑
Sara Jabakhanji (2022-11-29). "It's an 'exciting time' for DNA genealogy in solving cold cases, experts say. But some urge caution". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2025-12-18. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
Det.-Sgt. Steve Smith, the lead investigator in the double murder case, said Toronto police have more than 700 cold cases, 43 of which have a DNA sample recovered at the scene that is thought to belong to the offender.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1
Molly Hayes; Tavia Grant (2025-12-17). "How a suspected Toronto-area serial killer evaded police for decades". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2026-01-03. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
In 1976, when he was 30, Mr. Smith was convicted of raping and kidnapping a 14-year-old girl from Barrie, Ont., according to an archived newspaper clipping that The Globe unearthed and confirmed with police.