‘Let’s get justice’: Family, friends of Andrew Kinsman react after suspected serial killer charged

Family and friends of Andrew Kinsman say while they are relieved to know a Toronto man has been charged in connection with the death of Kinsman, they just want his remains returned.

They spoke at a press conference in downtown Toronto Friday afternoon after homicide investigators announced on Thursday that 66-year-old Bruce McArthur, who is self-employed as a landscaper, was arrested at his Toronto home following a months-long probe into missing persons cases. McArthur was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, the first count for Kinsman and the second count in connection with the death of Selim Esen.

“I was in shock. All I remember saying is, ‘Oh my God, Oh my God.’ I asked only one question, ‘Did they find his body?” Patricia Kinsman, Andrew’s sister, told reporters Friday while recalling when she was notified of his death by police Thursday and the arrest of a suspect.

2:41 Sisters of Andrew Kinsman react to arrest of alleged killer

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Both men disappeared in downtown Toronto last year and police said they were active on social media dating apps. Andrew was last seen on June 26 near Parliament and Winchester streets and Esen was last seen on April 14 near Bloor and Yonge streets. Police at the time called both missing persons cases as suspicious.

Patricia and her sister Karen Coles, along with friends, said they have been searching for Andrew since July. They said they were hopeful for a positive outcome, but added they’ve been ready for the announcement of his death.

“But there was always hope. I mean you always have hope that he’s going to be found alive somewhere … you live with hope and you live with despair … at least now there is a conclusion to Andrew’s story,” Coles added, saying the family has some closure now.

“We wanted him to be found alive, but at least now we know instead of spending every day thinking, and wondering, and worrying is he injured? Is he hurt? Someone’s hurting him. At least that part is over.”

Both sisters said they want to attend McArthur’s trial to understand what happened, adding they don’t want to talk to him.

“To me he is nothing. I have no opinion, I have no desire to talk to him. I just want to be able to go to court and see how it plays out, exactly what happened, I want to find out everything and to see him go to jail,” Patricia said.

“He’s a gay man killing gay men. I can’t wrap my head around it. I can’t comprehend that, but he’s a sick individual.”

The charges against McArthur haven’t been proven in court.

Greg Downer, a friend of Andrew’s who helped organize a safety town hall and the search for Andrew, reiterated that Thursday’s announcement was not the outcome he and others were hoping for. He, Patricia and Coles commended police for their work in making the arrest.

“It’s a really sad day for our community,” Downer said, while expressing condolences to the friends and family of Andrew, Esen and others.

“There’s a lot of speculation and dissecting of what’s happened and what did and didn’t happen. Personally I have confidence in the police in what has happened. It’s a slow process.”

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Police said late last year that Esen and Kinsman’s disappearances weren’t believed to be linked, but that they weren’t ruling anything out either.

“There is no evidence at this point in time, which in any way establishes the disappearances of Selim Esen and Andrew Kinsman are linked to the disappearance of the males from the Project Houston investigation,” Det. Sgt. Michael Richmond said during a press conference in December.

“There is also no evidence to support that the disappearance of Selim Esen or Andrew Kinsman are linked. It simply makes sense to have the same dedicated team investigate these occurrences in parallel.”

Chief Mark Saunders was previously asked if police believed a suspected serial killer was behind the disappearances and he addressed the question again Thursday.

“In policing, what we do is we follow the evidence and what I said at the time that I said was accurate at that time,” he said, later adding that the developments in the case are recent.

Meanwhile, McArthur appeared in a Toronto court Friday morning and was remanded into custody. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Feb. 14 through video link.

— With files from David Shum