DNA technology has revealed a Canadian serial killer who Toronto police say murdered women for decades.
Toronto Police developed a male DNA profile of a killer related to three unsolved murders that happened between 1982 and 1997. Authorities were able to use genetic genealogy technologies to identify family members of the killer, and which led them to identify the man they believe was responsible for the homicides: Kenneth Smith.
Smith, 72, died in 2019. Police say that he was responsible for killing Christine Prince, Claire Samson, and Gracelyn Greenidge.
"While we are pleased to provide answers at last, nothing can erase the grief felt by the families and loved ones of Christine Prince, Claire Samson, and Gracelyn Greenidge. What we can do – and will continue to do – is pursue the truth with determination, no matter how much time has passed," Deputy Chief Robert Johnson, Toronto Police Service said.
Today, alongside @OPP_News, we announced the identity of a man believed to be responsible for three historical homicides between 1982 and 1997. After decades of waiting, this news brings long-awaited answers to the families of these three women.
— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) December 11, 2025
Thank you to our investigative... pic.twitter.com/6AGmMjOeG9
Prince, 25, was last seen June 21, 1982, on a streetcar along St. Clair Avenue West. Prince was hit in the head, sexually assaulted, then drowned in the Rouge River.
Just over a year later, Samson, 23, disappeared on September 1, 1983. Her body was discovered the next day on private land off the 20/21 Sideroad in Oro-Medonte Township. She had been shot twice.
Then, in July 1997, Greenidge, 41, was murdered in her Driftwood Avenue apartment. She died of blunt force trauma.
"This case stands as a powerful reminder that while time may pass, our commitment to victims and their families does not fade. We will continue to pursue the truth, no matter how long it takes, because no victim will be forgotten and every family deserves answers," Chief Superintendent Karen Gonneau, Ontario Provincial Police.
Throughout the time of the homicides, Smith lived and worked in Toronto. He was known to police and had a history of sexual assault. Investigators believe there may be additional victims.
"We also encourage anyone who may have information about Kenneth Smith to contact police, as there may be other victims who deserve the same answers," Johnson said.
