WARNING: This story contains graphic language and material. Reader discretion is advised.
Bruce McArthur pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder in Toronto Tuesday.
The agreed statement of facts filed with the court in McArthur’s plea deal provides some insight into the murders.
The serial killer was a self-employed landscaper and police found body parts in planters on a residential property where he worked and buried in a nearby ravine.
McArthur killed eight men between 2010 and 2017, the documents states, and classifies the murders as first-degree.
Dave Perry, crime and security analyst and CEO of Investigative Solutions Network, says that the statement of facts doesn’t necessarily mean McArthur confessed. Instead, it’s an agreement between the crown attorneys and McArthur’s lawyers.
The victims were listed in the order in which he killed them:
- Skandaraj Navaratnam on Sept. 6, 2010,
- Abdulbasir Faizi on Dec. 29, 2010,
- Majeed Kayhan on Oct. 18, 2012,
- Soroush Mahmudi on Aug. 15, 2015,
- Kirushna Kanagaratnam on Jan. 6, 2016,
- Dean Lisowick on April 23, 2016,
- Selim Esen on April 16, 2017,
- Andrew Kinsman on June 26, 2017.
“McArthur intended and caused all of their deaths,” the document reads.
It says the murders were planned and deliberate. Six of the deaths occurred during a sexual assault or while the victim was unlawfully confined.
McArthur also kept items from the victims, including Esen’s notebook and jewelry belonging to Lisowick and Navaratnam. The items were found in McArthur’s apartment.
The statement says a duffel bag with duct tape, a surgical glove, rope, zip ties, a bungee cord and syringes found during the police investigation belonged to McArthur.
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The first two murders do not make mention of a sexual assault – but the latter six murders all are classified as “sexual in nature.”
The latter six murders victims showed signs of “staging,” the report read.
Staging can mean simply moving a body around to evade investigation, or it can be more involved, such as putting a body somewhere to take photos, or dressing up a body, Det. David Dickenson explained to Global News.
Perry said typically serial killers would stage bodies, either in states of dress or undress, to take photos or video, “so that the subject can revisit their act long afterwards.”
“We see this in sex offenders, and that’s what McArthur is now, he’s a convicted murderer slash sex offender,” he explained. “With sex offenders, we know from past behavior that a lot of them will commit acts of staging.”
The statement of facts says a coat found in McArthur’s van was used in the staging of multiple victims.
The statement doesn’t contain details of the first three murders, more is revealed about the latter five; the statement refers to use of a ligature, but does not go into detail on how it was used. The final two murders show evidence of “confinement with ropes.”
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The statement also reveals some details on the evidence collected against McArthur.
Police found an entry in Kinsman’s calendar labelled with “Bruce” as well as video showing Kinsman entering McArthur’s van that day.
They say DNA from the two latest victims was found in McArthur’s van and on the unnamed murder weapon, which was found in the van.
DNA of Mahmudi, McArthur’s fourth victim, was found on a coat in McArthur’s van, and DNA of Navaratnam, the first named victim, was found on a piece of leather lacing in the van.
McArthur is expected back in court Monday.
READ: Full statement of facts filed in court
*with a file from Catherine MacDonald
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