Forensic link helps police catch suspect in violent sexual assaults in Richmond Hill, Mississauga

"We are here after nine long years of investigating a brutal attack that took place in Mississauga," PRP Det. Sgt. Mustafa Durgun said.

Peel police began investigating a sexual assault after they received a report from a 47-year-old woman that on midnight of Sept. 27, 2013, she was sexually assaulted by a man.

The victim had gotten off a bus in the area of South Service Road and Crestview Avenue in Mississauga when a man armed with a weapon approached her from a bushy area and grabbed her. He pulled her into a darkened area, and "violently" sexually assault her.

The man concealed his identity with a face covering, and threatened to kill her and her family if she told anyone or went to the police.

A year later, on Nov. 13, 2014, a woman was violently sexually assaulted by a man in Richmond Hill after she got of a bus at 30 minutes past midnight, at Yonge Street and Canyon Hill Avenue.

The man, armed with a knife, approached her and demanded money, then pulled her into a field of tall grass. He tied her up and viciously sexually assaulted her, James said.

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Peel and York police joined forces and commenced a probe dubbed Project Blue Light. They conducted a lengthy and through investigation, but the suspect remained unidentified. They submitted forensic evidence to the Centre for Forensic Sciences to be analyzed, which helped them determine the suspect is of East Asian decent.

In the fall of 2021, police were notified that there was a forensic link from the two sexual assault incidents to an unrelated incident that took place in another jurisdiction, which helped identify the suspect.

On March 11, police arrested and charged Jaehyun "David" Cho, 32, of Toronto, in Brampton. He will appear in court on March 17 in Newmarket.

Cho is charged with two counts of kidnapping, two counts of sexual assault with a weapon, sexual assault causing bodily harm, two counts of uttering threats to cause death, two counts of disguise with intent, two counts of robbery, and two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Multiple search warrants have been executed in this investigation, and more may be executed, James said.

Investigators believe there may be additional victims and ask anyone who may have been victimized by the accused, or who has any information, to come forward.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the York Regional Police Special Victims Unit – Sexual Assault Section at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7071, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.