Bruce McArthur, the 67-year-old landscaper accused of habitually killing men linked to Toronto's gay community between 2010 and 2017, has pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder.
It was just over one year ago that police arrested McArthur in connection with a string of disappearances from the Church-Wellesley Village in downtown Toronto.
Rumours of a serial killer had been swirling for years, but it wasn't until police found the dismembered remains of at least three people in garden planters at a property McArthur used for tool storage that charges were laid.
Reminder, less than 2 years ago, Toronto police assured public there was no serial killer on the loose. https://t.co/t5iMST0KMt
— Josh Visser (@joshvisser) January 29, 2019
Over the course of what become one of the largest forensic investigations in Toronto Police history, the remains of at least eight victims were eventually found on or near the property at 53 Mallory Crescent.
McArthur was subsequently charged with the first-degree murders of Andrew Kinsman, 49, Selim Esen, 44, Majeed Kayhan, 58, Soroush Mahmudi, 40, Dean Lisowick, 47, Skandaraj Navaratnam, 40, Abdulbasir Faizi, 42 and Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, 37.
Bruce McArthur’s victims: A look at the eight lives lost https://t.co/dGvb6XxkhV pic.twitter.com/gk3VH5v0my
— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) January 29, 2019
McArthur entered his plea in a Toronto courtroom on Tuesay morning, telling Superior Court Justice John McMahon that he was doing so voluntarily.
Crown attorney Michael Cantlon provided the court with graphic details about the nature of McArthur's crimes, confirming that all eight victims were murdered during sexual acts or while unlawfully confined, and then dismembered.
McArthur also reportedly "staged" and photographed his victims after they were dead and kept some of their belongings as mementos.
Page 2 of the statement of facts. More details on what Bruce McArthur did to his victims. Warning. Disturbing content pic.twitter.com/LblMBbPaHf
— Catherine McDonald (@cmcdonaldglobal) January 29, 2019
McArthur pleaded guilty to all eight individual charges this morning, each of which comes with a minimum sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Sentencing is set to take place on February 4, according to the Crown, at which point victim impact statements will be read and an agreed statement of facts will be revealed in full.
by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO
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