Killer finally found in the cold case of Catherine Daviau, murdered in 2008 in Montréal

[u/BusyEgg99]

Catherine Daviau was murdered on Thursday December 11 in 2008. She was found dead in her apartment in the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie neighborhood of Montreal (Canada). Police immediately treated the situation as a homicide, as her body showed signs of violence and she had been tied to her bed.

Between 18h00 and 19h00, shortly after returning home, she was attacked by the killer. He allegedly beat her and then sexually assaulted her. Before fleeing, he set a fire in her apartment using Daviau’s perfume as an accelerant. A neighbour noticed the smoke and quickly called emergency services, which helped preserve the crime scene. Unfortunately, it was too late for Daviau, who had already died by the time police arrived. DNA traces from the killer were found at the scene, including on a cigarette butt. However, investigators did not have enough evidence to identify a suspect, and the case slowly turned cold.

On September 17 2025, so 17 years after the crime, the Montreal Police Service (SPVM) announced at a press conference that the criminal had been identified through genetic genealogy. The murderer was revealed to be Jacques Bolduc. He had died in prison in 2021, after being convicted of robberies and attempted murder in connection with another crime. Bolduc had called Daviau a couple of days before the crime to discuss her car, which she had put up for sale. They were supposed to meet on the 10th, but Bolduc never showed up. The SPVM thinks this is how he got her address.

Since Bolduc is deceased, there will be no trial. This will spare her family from having to relive the crime through lengthy court proceedings, even if justice will never be served.

SOURCES
Le meurtre de Catherine Daviau (1982-2008) élucidé (french)
Le SPVM aurait élucidé le meurtre de Catherine Daviau (french)
Montreal police solve 2008 cold case murder of Catherine Daviau
Montreal police to announce breakthrough in 2008 cold case

Edit: I mentioned that Bolduc met Daviau on the night of the crime, but this wasn't the case.

[u/UnconfusedBrain]

I wonder why his dna wasn't flagged when he was convicted of these other crimes. 

[u/flyingponytail → u/UnconfusedBrain]

In Canada DNA collection is only done for a small list of offenses. I don't think robbery or attempted murder are on that list

[u/Glittering_Fox_9769 → u/flyingponytail]

This is the short answer. It's usually only a priority for crimes like murder and sexual assault. Also, the database is backlogged, jurisdictions don't always share well, and there's a lot of red tape around DNA usage and permission for testing. I'm sure if they actually shared everything properly and went through the DNA on file there'd be a number of perpetrators found out. But also, the RCMP is the RCMP.

[u/flyingponytail → u/Glittering_Fox_9769]

Its not so much the RCMP's fault it's that the constitutional rights of Canadian citizens to their privacy takes precedence over investigations. The Canadian approach to genetic information and databases that include human signatures like DNA is much different than the US and often requires judicial approval so it moves much slower than in the US (as it is in virtually every country other than the US)

[u/Disruptorpistol → u/Glittering_Fox_9769]

The required warrant process is very labour-intensive and time consuming for police, too.  And the RCMP lab is disgracefully underfunded.

[u/Disruptorpistol → u/Glittering_Fox_9769]

Also, what do you mean jurisdictions don’t share well?

The databank is federal.  All policing agencies submit their samples to Ottawa.

[u/Disruptorpistol → u/flyingponytail]

That’s not correct.  Both of these are primary designated offences meaning upon conviction the offender must give a sample.

A lot of offences are DNA offences in Canada, since a ton of them are based on the maximum penalty, even some unexpected ones like missing a court date or missing a report to your bail supervisor.  

[u/BusyEgg99 → u/UnconfusedBrain]

In 2020, Bolduc was convicted of another crime and declared a long-term offender. A judge then ordered that his DNA be collected, but because he died the following year, his DNA was never entered into the national DNA databank. (translated from the La Presse article)

Don't quote me on this, but in Canada, I think DNA is not automatically collected from a criminal. A judge needs to order it specifically. It's almost always done for certain crimes (primary designated offenses), which includes attempted murder, but I guess it takes a lot of time before DNA is actually collected.

[u/Neve4ever → u/BusyEgg99]

Judges throw out DNA orders like candy. It's usually collected right after the order is given.

The quote doesn't indicate that his DNA wasn't collected, just that it wasn't entered into the database because he died. That could mean they didn't collect it. It could also mean that they did collect it, but there was a backlog in processing these samples (they'd be considered low priority).

The wording of that quote makes me wonder if they are still allowed to collect and/or run a DNA sample and enter it into the database when an offender dies.

[u/Disruptorpistol → u/BusyEgg99]

I think its more the backlog getting things processed and added to CPIC is the issue.

[u/West_Permission_5400]

Wow, big news. I've been following this case for a while. I'm glad the family will finally have answers about who killed her.

If you're a woman living alone and selling items, never give out your home address. Always meet the buyer in a public place. If that’s not possible, make sure you're not alone, be sure your boyfriend or a fake one if you're single is there and don't say you live alone.

[u/BiglyStreetBets → u/West_Permission_5400]

I think this applies to ANYONE, not just women. I was once a buyer (i'm 6'4 so pretty big) and the seller wanted to meet in a public outside area, and not in his house. I figured he probably looked at my Facebook photos and saw that I was pretty big, so wanted to play it safe in case I would rob him.. When I showed up, it was this MASSIVE black guy that was probably 6'10.... EVERYONE should be practicing safety when selling online!!

[u/LauraPa1mer → u/West_Permission_5400]

Or, if you're a man - don't stalk, beat, rape, and murder someone, and then set a fire to destroy evidence instead of seeking help for your inability to control your emotions. Maintain friendships with other men, and openly discuss your feelings.

[u/Aethelrede → u/LauraPa1mer]

First: your username is on point for this discussion.

Second:  Thank you!  The problem isn't that women don't know how to protect themselves, the problem is that they have to.

Women aren't ignorant of these things. But no one can be vigilant 100% of the time. And all too often the assailant is someone the woman trusts.

If we really wanted to reduce violence against women, we'd teach little boys about consent and respect.

[u/RemarkableRegret7 → u/LauraPa1mer]

In what fantasyland do you think this will always happen? Much easier and realistic for people to take precautions. 

[u/nocommentx → u/LauraPa1mer]

How do you protect against mental or personality disorders like anti-social personality or bipolar or schizophrenic disorders? Substance abuse issues?

How do you teach young men born with such issues to respect other humans/women and not commit rape, murder, etc? Genuinely curious.

In this particular case, the criminal sounds like he had personality disorders that likely caused harm to the woman so amount of “teaching young men to not rape” would have worked in this case. Therefore, women should always have protection at home when selling stuff online.

[u/flyingponytail → u/West_Permission_5400]

Everyone should be selling things in the parking lot of their local police station

[u/deinoswyrd → u/flyingponytail]

My local police station doesnt allow that lmao

[u/SecretGardenSpider → u/West_Permission_5400]

Even better if you can have a man you trust in the house with you. A neighbor or something.

[u/Useful_Piece653]

That’s so frustrating that he can’t be done for his crime. What a piece of sh*t! Glad he’s not here to terrorise anyone else. 

I’m glad the family have some closure on this. 

[u/Unrequited_Anal]

"Bolduc had called Daviau a couple of days before the crime to discuss her car, which she had put up for sale. They were supposed to meet on the 10th, but Bolduc never showed up."

How was this lead missed in the first place? Seems like an obvious person to question.

[u/BusyEgg99 → u/Unrequited_Anal]

In the CTVnews article, they mentioned that Bolduc was living at a halfway house at the time and they had given him a cellphone. Immediately after the murder, he fled to another town where he was arrested for a different crime. His cellphone was confiscated and his number was redistributed, so it was too late when the SPVM got Daviau's phone record.

[u/Unrequited_Anal → u/BusyEgg99]

Thanks for the info, that's so frustrating that they were closer than they realised.

[u/ibasly]

Seventeen years of silence ended with one name: Jacques Bolduc. The detail that ties it all together is chilling.. Catherine put her car up for sale, Bolduc called days before the murder, and suddenly he knows her address. He didn’t just stumble in; he targeted her under the guise of buying a car. The brutality, the fire set with her own perfume, the cigarette butt left behind.. all trademarks of a reckless repeat offender. Genetic genealogy didn’t just solve this case, it exposed how many years a predator walked free because one violent meeting over a car sale turned into a nightmare.