Montreal police solve cold case from 2008 using genetic genealogy to track killer

By Alessia Simona Maratta Global News

Posted September 18, 2025 4:00 am

Updated September 18, 2025 5:41 pm

1 min read

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Click to play video: 'Montreal police solve 2008 cold case murder of Catherine Daviau'

1:38 Montreal police solve 2008 cold case murder of Catherine Daviau

Watch: Montreal police say they have solved the mystery of who murdered 26-year-old Catherine Daviau in 2008. Mike Armstrong explains the case, and why the breakthrough is too late for the killer to face justice – Sep 17, 2025

Warning: This story contains sensitive and graphic content that may be disturbing to some readers. Discretion is advised.

Montreal police say they have solved the killing of Catherine Daviau 17 years ago using genetic genealogy to identify the suspect.

At a press conference Tuesday, Cmdr. Mélanie Dupont of the Montreal police major crimes unit said Daviau, 26, was found dead in her Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie apartment in December 2008. Police now say Jacques Bolduc was responsible for her death.

Montreal police Cmdr. Francois Sauve, left to right, Montreal police Cmdr. Melanie Dupont and Suzanne Marchand, senior executive director of the provincial crime lab, announce the resolution in the 2008 murder of Catherine Daviau during a news conference in Montreal, on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sidhartha Banerjee

Bolduc died of natural causes in 2021 at the Archambault Institution, a federal prison where he was serving a sentence for two robberies and two attempted murders.

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Authorities say Bolduc had only contacted Daviau a few days before her death. The contact was made after she posted a vehicle for sale on an online classifieds website.

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The 26-year-old victim had been tied up, sexually assaulted and stabbed to death.

Bolduc attempted to set fire to the apartment in an effort to destroy evidence, according to police, but DNA traces were preserved and later analyzed.

Investigators said they used genetic genealogy to identify him in late 2024.

The technique involves cross-referencing DNA evidence with genealogical databases to construct family trees and identify potential suspects.

Bolduc attempted to set fire to the apartment in an effort to destroy evidence, according to police, but DNA traces were preserved and later analyzed.

–with files from The Canadian Press and Mike Armstrong