The Toronto Police Service’s cold case unit announced that it had solved two investigations involving unidentified human remains, both dating from more than half a century ago.
The first case traced back to skeletal remains discovered in 1995 beneath a former garage on Danforth Avenue. Forensic evidence indicated intentional burial and a homicide, with the victim suffering multiple blows to the head from a hammer‑like weapon.
Using investigative genetic genealogy, the remains were identified in November 2024 as Mary McLeod Moffat, a Scottish immigrant born in 1905. Records suggest her death in 1936 was likely connected to her husband, Andrew Lloyd Moffat, who later adopted a new identity and died in 1985.
The second investigation involved a woman who died in a vehicle fire on Highway 401 in 2004. The fire was intentionally set with gasoline, and the victim was found in the passenger seat after the blaze. Genetic testing in 2024 revealed her Indigenous ancestry and identified her as Patsy Flora Lagarde, born in 1962 in Ontario.
Det. Sgt. Steve Smith highlighted the significant role of investigative genetic genealogy in resolving long‑standing cases and restoring identities to victims who had remained unknown for decades.
He added that the families of both Mary McLeod Moffat and Patsy Flora Lagarde now have closure and can begin the healing process after years of uncertainty.
