Close to 27 years after Donna Oglive, a 24-year-old sex worker and pregnant at the time, was found strangled to death in 1998, forensic technology has led to the arrest of 50-year-old Ronald Ackerman on Thursday, February 6, 2025. Ackerman has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Oglive's gruesome death.
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A press release issued by the Toronto Police Service (TPS) described Oglive's case as well as how technology was used to track down Ackerman more than a quarter century before he allegedly committed the crime that took Oglive's life.
Back on March 8, 1998, officers arrived at a parking lot at 130 Carlton St. at around 7 a.m. There, they found the body of 24-year-old Donna Oglive. She had only been in British Columbia for five weeks, as she was a Philippines national. Authorities determined that her cause of death was strangulation. Furthermore, they noted that Oglive was four months pregnant at the time of her death, according to PEOPLE.
While investigators were able to gather DNA evidence from the scene, they found no match in their records. This led to the case going cold for 25 years. However, genealogists began tracking the DNA collected at the scene in 2022, according to the TPS. This led them to Ackerman's family and, after gathering a sample, they had a match in 2024. Ronald Ackerman was their suspect.
"For 26 years, investigators have remained committed to seeking justice for Donna and her loved ones," Detective Sergeant Stephen Smith said during a press conference on February 7. "Advances in forensic technology along with the unwavering dedication of our team and investigative partners have led us to this arrest."
Technological Advances
This forensic technological advance might help other cases that might have gone cold due to similar circumstances.
"With IGG (Investigative Genetic Genealogy) now anybody that committed sexual assault or homicides over the past 40 or 50 years - if they're still alive - they'd be expecting a knock at their door at any point," Smith said. "Our thoughts remain with Donna's family and friends who have endured decades of grief and unanswered questions. No matter how much time passes, we do not give up on victims of homicide."
Ronald Ackerman was arrested at Pearson International Airport in Ontario, Canada. Authorities charged him with first-degree murder.
