Alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur makes brief court appearance
McArthur, who is facing 8 first-degree murder charges, has case put over to May 23
Unshaven and dressed in an orange jumpsuit, alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur appeared in court by video from a Toronto jail Wednesday.
McArthur had his case put over until May 23 after the brief appearance.
The 66-year-old self-employed landscaper faces eight counts of first-degree murder in connection with the disappearances of several men. Most of them had ties to Toronto's gay village.
He said his name for the court and thanked the justice of the peace at the end of proceedings.
Crown Michael Cantlon told the court his office would have more evidence to turn over to the defence before the next court date.
Police have found the dismembered remains of at least seven people in large planters at the home of one of McArthur's clients.
McArthur's most recent charge was in the death of Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, who moved to Canada from Sri Lanka in 2010 and lived in Scarborough.
Det.-Sgt. Hank Idsinga, the lead investigator, said Kanagaratnam's remains were found in a garden planter at a home on Mallory Crescent, in northeast Toronto, where McArthur worked as a landscaper.
The remains of at least seven men have been found on the property, and Idsinga said police will continue to search other sites.
The other murder charges are in connection with the deaths of: Selim Esen, 44, Abdulbasir Faizi, 44, Majeed Kayhan, 58, Andrew Kinsman, 49, Dean Lisowick, 47, Soroush Mahmudi, 50, and Skandaraj Navaratnam, 40.
McArthur's next court appearance will also be by video.
With files from The Canadian Press