Windsor, Ont., police used genealogy data to crack 1971 Ljubica Topic murder case
WARNING: This article contains details of sexual assault and may affect those who have experienced it or know someone affected by it.
The lead investigator for the Ljubica Topic murder case says police used publicly available genetic data, along with DNA from the crime scene, to crack a cold case that haunted Windsor, Ont., for decades.
The six-year-old was abducted, sexually assaulted and killed in May 1971. Police closed the case in 2019, saying they had identified her killer, but did not reveal his identity at the time.
This week, police released his name: Frank Arthur Hall, a neighbour of the Topic family. He died in Edmonton in 2019.
Officers were able to crack the case in part because at some point, a relative of Hall uploaded their genetic information to a public database, according to Windsor police Staff Sgt. Scott Chapman, who worked on the case for five years.
"We put Frank Hall's DNA into those [genealogical] databases, GEDmatch and Family TreeDNA ... that resulted in us discovering individuals who share levels of his DNA," Chapman explained Friday.
From there, investigators built family trees. They went back generations and then went forward in time based on where the genetic similarities led them. Then, they obtained authorization to get DNA samples from a small group of people in order to rule people out and ultimately identify the culprit.
WATCH | People react to learning the identity of the man police believe killed Ljubica Topic in 1971:
Officers have had DNA in the case since the 1990s and have periodically had it analyzed, Chapman said. In 2015, some material was tested for the first time and seven different sources of DNA were determined to be from the same person, he said.
Though Hall was deceased at the time, police were able to use a previously collected tissue sample and compare it to the 1971 evidence.
Hall died in February 2019. In December that year, police announced they had found the person behind the homicide of the young girl.
Ljubica's killing is among several cold cases that have been solved through genetic genealogy in recent years.
The earliest high-profile example is the Golden State Killer case in 2018, though there have also been cases in Canada, including in Toronto and Vancouver.
"Our case was one of the very first Canadian cases that used the technique to identify an offender," Chapman said.
On ancestry research websites such as GEDmatch and Family TreeDNA, users have the option to not share their genetic information with law enforcement, Chapman said.
In 2019, when Windsor police announced they had solved this case, it was unclear whether they could legally name Hall since there was such little precedent, according to Chapman.
That was part of the reason Hall's name was withheld at that time, said Chapman, acknowledging the landscape has since changed as genetic genealogy has become more mainstream.
Parabon NanoLabs, a U.S. company that helps law enforcement with genetic genealogy, assisted Windsor police with the case.
Police were ultimately were able to identify Hall through the DNA of a distant cousin that was found in a database, said CeCe Moore, chief genetic genealogist at Parabon NanoLabs.
Moore said what the company presents to police is a hypothesis that they then must consider in conjunction with other evidence. Ultimately, police have to do their own DNA testing to confirm the results.
"Investigative genetic genealogy is simply a tip or a lead generator. No one is going to be arrested based on this technology or this technique," she said.
More said Canadian law enforcement was quick to take notice of the tool.
"We've been able to help solve a number of cases [in Canada] but it [the tool] has mostly stayed under the radar like this one," she said.
Privacy laws are much stricter in Canada, making it more difficult to identify people, and there are fewer Canadians in the publicly available databases, she said.
Police release name years after cracking case
This week, police said a new Windsor police chief and pressure from local media were factors in finally releasing Hall's name.
Prior to the release of that information, Chapman flew to Edmonton to tell Hall's family members. They were shocked but showed strength, he said.
"We have to keep in mind whatever Frank Hall did in his life is not a reflection on these people," Chapman said. "They've been victimized by this information too."
Ljubica had been playing outside her family's home on Drouillard Road when a stranger lured her away with the promise of money, according to Windsor police. She was later found dead near an alley a kilometre away from her home. The case attracted national attention.
Police say Hall lived in the 1800 block of Drouillard Road, fewer than two kilometres down the street from the Topic family's home. According to investigators, Hall later moved to Edmonton and died at age 70.
Geraye Smith was 17 at the time. She lived next door to the Topics and knew the family.
She recalled the day Ljubica went missing. With her father, she looked around the neighbourhood for Ljubica. Later that day, her body was found.
"I'm so surprised to find out that this guy [Hall] just lived in the 1800-block [of Drouillard Road] and ... never noticed him," she said.
Hundreds of persons of interest
Hall was never sought in the case, though over the years, more than 500 persons of interest were identified.
According to Chapman, police records are unclear as to whether Hall's home was canvassed as part of the initial investigation back in 1971.
Hall was, however, known to police in Windsor and in other places, mostly for property crimes like theft.
"He had some arrests. Nothing ... related to a sexual nature or a homicide," Chapman said.
Though Chapman's name wasn't known to the public, other law enforcement agencies been made aware of Hall since 2019.
Now that Hall's name is out there, Chapman believes it could lead to more tips from the public regarding other cases.
"It will give potentially new life to different investigations," he said. "It's entirely possible."
Support is available for anyone who has been sexually assaulted. You can access crisis lines and local support services through this Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.
