Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have confirmed through DNA testing that a victim from a motorcycle accident in Toronto nearly 40 years ago was a 19-year-old man from London who had been missing for several months.
Reports of Bradley Verbeek’s disappearance first came in on March 11, 1988. He was last seen on Exeter Road in London on December 8, 1987, and despite many years of investigation, he remained unaccounted for, according to police.
This recent discovery has finally provided answers that his family has long sought.
“For 38 years, my family lived with the heartbreak of not knowing what happened to my brother,” said his sister Melissa (Verbeek) Godwin in a statement. “He wasn’t just my brother; he was my best friend. Every day I thought about him and hoped that one day we would be reunited.”
In 2025, investigators received new leads from partner agencies suggesting Verbeek may have been involved in a deadly motorcycle crash at the intersection of Harbord Street and George Street in Toronto on May 12, 1988, police stated. At that time, investigators could not identify the deceased individual, so he was buried as an unidentified man.
By 2026, officials confirmed through DNA analysis that the victim was indeed Verbeek and informed his family on June 16.
“To every family still searching for a missing loved one, please don’t lose hope,” said Godwin. “Our family waited 38 years for answers, and I sincerely hope that one day you will receive the same gift of truth, peace and closure.”
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