After 35 years, DNA evidence leads to 1st-degree murder charge in P.E.I. cold case
Todd Joseph Gallant, 56, arrested in death of 'respected teacher' Byron Carr
After 35 years, Charlottetown police have made an arrest in the 1988 killing of Byron Carr, which shocked Prince Edward Islanders and left many members of its LGBTQ community living in fear.
Chief Brad MacConnell said on Friday that 56-year-old Todd Joseph Gallant, also known as Todd Joseph Irving, of Souris, P.E.I., has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of interfering with human remains.
MacConnell said the arrest was made Thursday at 11:55 a.m. AT, based on "significant forensic evidence" that led police to believe Gallant is responsible for the death of Carr, whom he described as a loving son, brother and friend as well as "a respected teacher and a good neighbour."
The suspect was 21 years old at the time of the murder.
Police also arrested a second person this week, MacConnell said. The chief said that person was later released, but an investigation continues to determine whether there was any involvement in the case.
Carr, 36, taught English at Montague Regional High School. He was strangled with a towel in his home on Lapthorne Avenue in the early morning hours of Nov. 11, 1988, and his body was eventually discovered with multiple stab wounds.
Police have long said they believe Carr had consensual sex with a young man he brought home, and presumed that person was his killer.
The specific charges laid in court are that Gallant:
- "Did commit first-degree murder on the person of Byron Carr contrary Section 212(a)(i) and Section 218(1) of Criminal Code of Canada and amendments thereto.
- "Did improperly interfere with the human remains to Byron Carr by stabbing the remains of Byron Carr contrary to Section 178(b) of the Criminal Code of Canada."
Gallant is next scheduled to appear in court in Charlottetown on Feb. 1, in front of Judge Jeff Lantz.
MacConnell said the murder "shook our city and province to its core," particularly Carr's family and his friends in the gay community.
Carr kept his sexuality a secret, but it was brought to light when he died, MacConnell said. The chief called the era a "dark and unfortunate time" in P.E.I.'s history that forced people like Carr to "socialize in the shadows and take unnecessary risks."
He added: "For 35 years … his family and our community were left with a lot of unanswered questions. I only wish we could have given these answers sooner."
During Friday's news conference, Carr's brother John Carr thanked the police and members of the public for their assistance in the investigation.
"It's been a long 35 years," he said.
"We're sad that the case went on for 35 years. Both our parents, Mom and Dad, have passed away and weren't here to take part in this process today. We know they're with us in spirit. This would have been very important to them as the next step in pursuing justice for Byron."
Long path to an arrest
The case has been P.E.I.'s only unsolved homicide in modern times. After lying dormant for years, it was reopened in 2007, and police have made several announcements since.
In reopening the case, police were pinning their hopes on advances in DNA technology, particularly evidence gathered from underwear found in Carr's home.
Those hopes appear to have come to fruition, as MacConnell said Friday that genetic genealogy was used to match DNA from the crime scene.
"Combining advances in DNA with some genetic genealogy work, we were able to identify one of the individuals associated to those profiles found at the crime scene," he said. "Through that, we were able to identify Todd Joseph Gallant as being the donor of the evidence that we believe was deposited by the individual that was with Byron in the past."
The police chief said finding a genetic genealogy match can be a painstaking process.
Genetic genealogy is a game-changer in how we investigate major crimes. We're seeing some amazing results across the country.— Charlottetown Police Chief Brad MacConnell
It involves collecting DNA samples from crime-scene exhibits, generating a genetic profile, then uploading that profile through a "law-enforcement mechanism" to genealogy websites like Family Tree DNA and GEDmatch.
This can eventually lead to a familial DNA match with other samples profiled on those sites.
"Genetic genealogy is a game-changer in how we investigate major crimes. We're seeing some amazing results across the country, across North America — cases 50-plus years [old] being solved," MacConnell said.
"Over time you narrow your focus, seeing how people connect and families connect, and it's a long process. There's no straight line to the finish."
Charlottetown police say they were assisted by Wyndham Forensics Group and Convergence Investigative Genetic Genealogy in this aspect of the investigation.
MacConnell said Friday that the suspect has a previous criminal record both in Canada, Texas and Arkansas. He was previously convicted of a break-and-enter in Prince Edward Island in 1987, a year before Carr's death. Police say he left the Island sometime after 1988 and returned only in 2022.
Charlottetown police are working with other law enforcement agencies to determine a timeline of Gallant's movements over the past 35 years.
'The family has just wanted the truth'
For a time after Carr's murder in 1988, fear was stoked among the Island's LGBTQ community that a serial killer could be on the loose.
When his body was found, there was a message written in ink on his wall saying: "I will kill again."
When asked Friday whether he thought the case was a hate crime, MacConnell said: "That particular answer is one we all want to know. The sensational note left on the crime scene would suggest it was.
"Was it hate-involved, [were] there other factors? I know that we've always — and the family has always — just wanted the truth, no matter what it was. And hopefully we can get that."
CBC News took an in-depth look at the case in 2018. Watch it here:
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