On November 15, 2023, York Regional Police announced that Bruce Charles Cantelon was the lead suspect in the November 30, 1972 murder of 16-year-old Yvonne Leroux in King City, Ontario. The case has been cleared by exception due to the death of Cantelon.
Leroux disappeared while leaving a medical clinic on Oakdale Road on November 29th. Her remains were found the next day on the 16th Sideroad, between Jane and Keele Streets, in a rural area north of Vaughan. She was killed by blunt force trauma to the head. Police have not stated what was the biological source of the crime scene sample, or if there was sexual violence.
The FIGG investigation was conducted by the York Regional Police in partnership with an unknown forensic organization.
Cantelon was 26 years old and living in Toronto at the time of Leroux’s murder. Police stated that he had a history of criminal convictions for violent offences against women.
Cantelon died by suicide in 1974, about a year and a half after killing Leroux. Police also stated that many of Leroux’s family members are recently deceased, and they were not able to benefit from the closure of this case.
Sources:
Carter, Adam. “DNA Evidence Cracked Decades-Old Murder Case, York Police Say.” CBC News, November 15, 2023. Accessed November 17, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/yvonne-leroux-york-police-cold-case-1.7028987.
Marchesan, John. “York Police Identify Suspect in 51-Year-Old Murder Using Advanced DNA.” City News, November 15, 2023. Accessed November 17, 2023. https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/11/15/yvonne-leroux-murder-solved-bruce-charles-cantelon/.
Papuckoski, Spiro. “York Cops Crack 1972 Cold Case Murder of Toronto Teen Yvonne Leroux.” Toronto Sun, November 15, 2023. Accessed November 17, 2023. https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/york-cops-crack-1972-cold-case-murder-of-toronto-teen-yvonne-leroux.