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Toronto Police Identify Mary McLeod Moffat as Victim of 1936 Homicide Using Advanced DNA Technology

Toronto police have successfully identified Mary McLeod Moffat as the victim of a 1936 homicide, solving one of the city's oldest mysteries. The remains of Mary McLeod Moffat were discovered by demolition workers in 1995 beneath a building in Toronto's east end. Forensic analysis revealed she was intentionally buried after suffering at least six blunt-force injuries to a hammer-like weapon. Investigators used investigative genetic genealogy to overcome challenges posed by severely-degraded DNA. By comparing the remains' profile to relatives, police identified her as a Scottish immigrant who was likely murdered by her husband, Andrew Lloyd Moffat. While Andrew Lloyd Moffat died in 1985, he is believed to be the primary suspect in her death. This breakthrough also allowed for the identification of Patsy Flora Lagarde, another cold case victim. Lagarde's burned remains were found in a vehicle fire on Highway 401 in 2004. These identifications demonstrate the significant impact of modern forensic DNA technology in resolving long-term unidentified human remains investigations.

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