The case of Adam Strong stands out in Canadian criminal history not just for its brutality, but for how it unraveled. In December 2017, a routine plumbing call in Oshawa, Ontario, exposed a hidden chamber of horrors that law enforcement had previously missed. What began as a blocked residential drain ultimately led investigators to uncover the murders of two young women killed nearly a decade apart.
Understanding this case requires looking past sensational headlines to examine the timeline of events, the breakdown in initial investigations, and how forensic breakthroughs finally brought a predatory killer to justice.
The Discovery That Exposed the Crimes
The investigation into Adam Strong kicked off entirely by accident on December 29, 2017. Plumbers arrived at a split-level rental home in Oshawa to clear a severe blockage in the plumbing system. While working on the pipes, they pulled out suspicious objects that clearly appeared to be human flesh.
The workers immediately contacted the Durham Regional Police Service. When officers searched Strong's basement bedroom, they found the remains of 18-year-old Rori Hache, who had vanished months earlier in August 2017. Hache’s torso had previously been discovered by a fisherman floating in Lake Ontario in September 2017, but investigators had no idea where she was killed until the blocked pipes forced Strong's hand.
Faced with undeniable physical evidence, Strong made a startling admission to detectives. He remarked that his capture came down to "faulty plumbing," believing his methods of disposing of human remains down the drain would normally work. A search of his bedroom freezer revealed additional remains belonging to Hache, setting off a forensic investigation that would link him to an even older, unsolved disappearance.
Unraveling Past Crimes: The Loss of Kandis Fitzpatrick
As forensic experts analyzed the biological evidence recovered from Strong's apartment, they discovered DNA profiles that belonged to someone other than Rori Hache. The DNA matched Kandis Fitzpatrick, a 19-year-old woman who had been reported missing in 2008.
Fitzpatrick had vanished nearly a decade before Hache's murder, and her disappearance had long gone cold. Investigators realized that Strong had operated undetected for years, using his apartment to assault, kill, and dismember vulnerable young women.
While police could not recover Fitzpatrick's complete body due to the passage of time and Strong's disposal methods, forensic testing confirmed her blood and biological matter were present throughout Strong's room, including on hunting knives and saws seized from the property.
The Trial and Legal Verdict
The legal proceedings against Adam Strong unfolded in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, where graphic details of his crimes emerged during the trial. Prosecutors argued that Strong posed as a casual acquaintance to young women before trapping them in his basement apartment, where he subjected them to extreme violence.
In March 2021, Justice Christopher Di Luca delivered the verdict:
- Rori Hache Murder: Strong was convicted of first-degree murder, as the court found the killing occurred during the commission of a sexual assault. Under Canadian law, this carries an automatic life sentence.
- Kandis Fitzpatrick Death: Strong was convicted of manslaughter. The judge noted that while the evidence conclusively proved Strong caused her death and dismembered her body, the passage of 10 years prevented prosecutors from establishing the specific premeditation required for a first-degree murder charge.
In May 2021, Strong received a sentence of life imprisonment with no eligibility for parole for 25 years on the first-degree murder charge, alongside a concurrent sentence for manslaughter.
Systemic Failures and Community Impact
The conviction of Adam Strong left deep scars across the Oshawa community and ignited sharp criticism regarding how missing persons cases involving marginalized young women are handled. Both Hache and Fitzpatrick faced personal hardships that left them detached from stable support networks, a vulnerability that violent offenders often exploit.
Advocacy groups and family members publicly questioned why initial investigations into Fitzpatrick's disappearance in 2008 failed to uncover Strong's involvement, especially given his proximity and known history. Public outcry also centered on the rental property itself—often referred to by local media as a "house of horrors"—with families demanding its demolition to remove a site of profound trauma.
For further context on how Canadian courts handle violent multi-offender trials, you can review institutional overviews provided by the Department of Justice Canada. Public safety updates and regional crime data are also regularly archived by Statistics Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
How was Adam Strong caught?
Strong was caught because a residential plumbing blockage in December 2017 forced emergency repair workers to pull human remains out of a clogged drain. The plumbers notified the Ontario Provincial Police and local regional authorities, who subsequently searched his apartment and found further evidence.
What were the specific charges against Adam Strong?
He was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2017 death of Rori Hache and manslaughter in the 2008 death of Kandis Fitzpatrick.
What sentence did Adam Strong receive?
He received a life sentence with no eligibility for parole for 25 years, alongside an 18-year concurrent sentence for his manslaughter conviction.
Were any other victims linked to Adam Strong?
Police investigated potential links to other unsolved missing persons cases in the Durham region, but no additional charges were laid beyond the confirmed cases of Hache and Fitzpatrick.
