More than 25 years after a woman was found dead in her Toronto apartment, police have made an arrest in connection with her death.
Barbara Brodkin, a secretary and single mother, was found dead March 19, 1993, by her six-year-old son. She had been stabbed in the chest.
Toronto police announced Monday that Charles Mustard, a 63-year-old Toronto resident, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. His next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.
Det.-Sgt. Stacy Gallant told reporters that police are not seeking any other suspects. He said Mustard and Brodkin “did know each other” and “were not strangers,” but did not elaborate on the nature of their relationship.
Gallant said new forensic testing of DNA evidence seized from Brodkin’s apartment in 1993 was crucial in identifying Mustard as a suspect. He said Mustard has had “prior contact with the police.”
At the time of Brodkin’s death, she was 41 years old and Mustard was 37.
Police appealed for anyone who knew Brodkin and Mustard in 1993 to contact investigators if they had not already been in touch. Gallant said police are particularly looking to hear from people known to them only as Dirk and Linda.
“They are persons that we believe were acquainted to both Mr. Mustard and Barbara Brodkin back in 1993 or around that timeframe,” he said.
Herb Brodkin, Barbara Brodkin's first cousin, told reporters that he was impressed by the diligence shown by police in tracking down the suspect.
“Up until recently, I thought cold cases [being solved] was just something that happened in a TV series,” he said.
