Gay serial killer Bruce McArthur given eight life sentences
Bruce McArthur, a landscaper, killed eight men with ties to Toronto’s gay village. (Facebook)
Gay serial killer Bruce McArthur has been handed eight life sentences in Toronto after being found guilty of eight counts of first degree murder.
McArthur will have no chance of parole for 25 years after he pleaded guilty to the charges, according to the Washington Post. This means that he will not be eligible for release until he is 91.
He killed and dismembered the men between 2010 and 2017, and allegedly hid seven of the corpses in planters and the eighth in a ravine.
McArthur lured men in Toronto’s Gay Village, and later staged photos with some of the corpses, where he would dress them up in fur coats and put cigars in their mouths.
The sentencing hearing ended Tuesday, with the length of McArthur’s sentence announced today.
Bruce McArthur’s victims were of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent
Some of McArthur’s eight victims—Skandaraj (Skanda) Navaratnam, Soroush Mahmudi, Dean Lisowick, Majeed Kayhan, Selim Esen, Andrew Kinsman, Kirushnakumar Kanagaratnam and Abdulbasir Faizi—were of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent.
Prosecutor Michael Cantlon told the court earlier this week that McArthur had also shaved facial hair from some of the men and kept it.
“There is evidence that Mr McArthur sought out and exploited these vulnerabilities to continue his crimes undetected.”
– Michael Cantlon
He said that McArthur had targeted men who might be less likely to be forthcoming about their sexuality, and that their disappearances might not attract the same level of scrutiny, according to ITV News.
The eight victims of gay serial killer Bruce McArthur.
“Many of the victims had ties to Toronto’s LGBT village and had a social life within that community. Many met or corresponded with Mr McArthur through dating apps,” said Cantlon.
“Some were forced to live parts of their life in secret because of their orientation. Some lacked stable housing.
“There is evidence that Mr McArthur sought out and exploited these vulnerabilities to continue his crimes undetected.”
Bruce McArthur had a ninth potential victim
When Bruce McArthur was arrested in January 2018, police found a ninth potential victim in McArthur’s residence. He was naked, tied to a bed and had a bag over his head.
The man – who has only been identified as “John” – had been texting McArthur via a dating app.
Police were able to track McArthur down after they discovered surveillance footage of his last victim – Kinsman – entering a van linked to McArthur.
Kinsman had also marked “Bruce” in his diary on June 27, 2017 – the day he disappeared.
“We searched for Andrew for six months. I knew he was gone, but still we looked.” said Kinsman’s sister, Patricia, in a victim impact statement.
“His life was snuffed out by this man. We don’t say his name.”
Before he was arrested in January 2018, McArthur had been interviewed by police twice in connection with the disappearances.
In 2016, he was interviewed by police when a man claimed that he had tried to choke him, however no charges were brought against him. The Washington Post reports that the officer who handled the case now faces professional misconduct charges.
