Woman’s DNA found in same Oshawa home as teen’s remains
Police believe new evidence in basement is linked to second person last seen a decade ago
The DNA of a second woman has been found in an Oshawa basement apartment where a pregnant teen’s dismembered remains were discovered last year, police said Tuesday.
Investigators believe the DNA belongs to Kandis Fitzpatrick, last seen by her family in 2008 and reported missing in 2010, Durham Region police Det. Darren Short said at a news conference.
She would have turned 29 this past February.
He did not comment on the nature of the DNA, but noted that its profile matches that of Fitzpatrick’s parents.
Short added that there’s no apparent connection between Fitzpatrick and 18year-old Rori Hache, whose remains were found in the same basement on McMillan St. late last year after people working on the home called police.
Police have said they are treating Hache’s death as a homicide, though no murder-related charges have been laid so far.
“I’ve spoken with (Hache’s) family . . . and I’ve made it abundantly clear through all the conversations that we need the evidence to lay the charge and this will take time,” Short said. “By going through the exhibits and the evidence we’ve collected, the results of that will dictate the further laying of charges.”
Adam Strong, 45, of Oshawa, who lived in the apartment, has been charged with indignity to a body in relation to Hache’s remains.
Strong, who remains in custody, has not spoken to police since his arrest in December, on the advice of his lawyer, investigators said. After the news conference, Hache’s mother, Shanan Dionne, said it’s frustrating that the investigation has continued so long without murder charges being laid.
“It’s the worst feeling in the world because you almost feel like Rori is being minimized,” she said. “But I believe in (the) detectives, that they are taking their time for a reason … I’m glad I’m not putting negative pressure on the police force, I’m glad I’m not getting in their heads and taking time away from the investigation.”
Several of Hache’s relatives attended the news conference wearing black Tshirts emblazoned with the words “Justice 4 Rori,” and the letters G.B.N.F., standing for “Gone But Not Forgotten.”
Dionne said she hopes the identification of Fitzpatrick’s DNA was good news for her family.
Afisherman discovered a torso in Lake Ontario in September that was later linked to Hache by DNA testing.
Officers found more of Hache’s remains, along with a homemade explosive device, in the basement in December. Police spent much of January combing through the home and its backyard, and have since returned with a new search warrant.
“The major concentration of this search is going to be the backyard area,” Short said, adding that the ground was frozen and officers were limited in how much they could dig up in January.
Investigators have also been re-examining outstanding missing persons cases in Durham Region, noting that 2,000 people are reported missing each year and only 43 people since 1963 remain unaccounted for.
There are only two that “even fall close to the parameters”: a missing girl from 1963 and another from 1996.