An alleged Canadian serial killer is now facing an eighth murder charge.
Bruce McArthur, 66, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, 37.
It is the latest charge against McArthur since his arrest in January. Police say he trolled bars in Toronto’s ‘Gay Village’ as well as gay dating apps for victims, predominantly targeting Muslim men from South Asia or the Middle East.
Toronto police Detective Sgt Hank Idsinga said on Monday that Kanagaratnam’s remains were found at a home that McArthur used as storage for his landscaping business.
Bruce McArthur, 66 (left), has been charged with an eighth count of first-degree murder in the death of Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, 37 (right). Detective Sgt Hank Idsinga added that there was no evidence linking Kanagaratnam to the city’s LGBTQ neighborhood, as there was with the previous seven victims
The dismembered remains of all the named victims except for, Majeed Kayhan, were found in flower planters in this residential backyard, where McArthur stored landscaping equipment
Kanagaratnam arrived from Sri Lanka in 2010 and lived in Scarborough. He has no immediate family in Canada and was never reported as missing.
Investigators said he was identified after they released photographs of the dead man and appealed to the public for help. Idsinga said at the time was a ‘last resort’ to identify the victim.
Idsinga added that there was no evidence linking Kanagaratnam to the city’s LGBTQ neighborhood, as there was with the previous seven victims, reported CTV News.
McArthur has been held since January 18, when he was arrested and initially charged with the murders of Andrew Kinsman, 49, and Selim Esen, 44
Abdulbasir Faizi, 44, an Afghan immigrant was named as the seventh victim of McArthur on Wednesday
At a press conference on Wednesday that was broadcast online, Homicide Detective Sergeant Hank Idsinga revealed other new developments in the case.
Three additional positive identifications have been made on the seven sets of human remains recovered in large planters at a home where McArther, a self-employed landscaper, stored work materials.
The newly-identified remains were those of Esen, 44-year-old Abdulbasir Faizi and Dean Lisowick, a 43-year-old homeless man whose murder McArther has already been charged with.
Forensic specialists had previously identified three sets of remains from the planters: Kinsman; Soroush Mahmudi, 50; and Skandaraj ‘Skanda’ Navaratnam, 40.
McArthur (Pictured) was arrested in January. Police say he trolled bars in Toronto’s ‘Gay Village’ as well as gay dating apps for victims, predominantly targeting Muslim men from South Asia or the Middle East
A seventh victim, 58-year-old Majeed Kayhan, was not linked to the remains from the planters, but McArthur has also been charged with his murder. Police have not publicly revealed if or whether Kayhan’s remains were found.
Idsinga said there was ‘at least’ one more set of remains from the planters that had yet to be identified, eventually revealed to be Kanagaratnam.
According to Canoe, police will be investigating cold cases that date back to 1975 to see if there are any links to McArthur.
Police will also be searching at least 70 properties where they believe McArthur worked a a landscaper.
WHO WERE THE VICTIMS OF TORONTO SERIAL KILLER
Toronto landscaper Bruce McArthur, 66, has been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of seven men. Police fear there may be even more victims yet to be uncovered.
Skandaraj ‘Skanda’ Navaratnam, 40
Reported missing on September 16, 2010.
A refugee from Sri Lanka, he was last seen leaving Zipperz, a now closed gay bar in Toronto.
Friends said McArthur employed and had a sexual relationship with Navaratnam.
Abdulbasir Faizi, 44
Last seen leaving his workplace at about 7pm on December 28, 2010. His last known location was in the area of Church and Wellesley Streets.
An immigrant from Afghanistan, Fazi worked as a machine operator at a printing company.
He was married with children but secretly used gay dating apps for older and large men.
Majeed Kayhan, 58
Reported missing on October 25, 2012.
An immigrant from Afghanistan who frequented bars in the Gay Village near Church and Wellesley Streets.
His remains were not found in the flower planters with the other victims.
Soroush Marmudi, 50
Reported missing by his family in Scarborough in August 2015.
Marmudi was not known to openly associate with Toronto’s gay scene.
Dean Lisowick, 43
A homeless occupant of the shelter system who had not been reported missing when his remains were discovered.
Police believe he was murdered in April of 2016.
Selim Esen, 44
Last seen April 14, 2017 in the Yonge and Bloor area.
A Turkish native, he frequented the Gay Village area and Kensington Market and often had a small plastic suitcase on wheels similar to a carry-on bag.
His relationship with McArthur is unclear.
Andrew Kinsman, 49
Last seen June 26, 2017 at 71 Winchester Street.
Friends begin posting his image in the area and surrounding neighborhoods soon after he disappeared.
Police believe he had a sexual relationship with McArthur.