Thread by @cmcdonaldglobal

Massive line-up outside courtroom 6-1, the largest courtroom at Superior Court for Day 1 of serial killer Bruce McArthur’s sentencing hearing. Everyone must go through a metal detector before entering the courtroom. Metal detectors at also the front doors of the courthouse

This morning we expect to hear a long version of the agreed statement of facts. That could take quite awhile as the crown will likely go through each victim. How they met Bruce McArthur, how they were killed, dismembered and disposed of.

Crown Attorney Michael Cantlon indicated last Tuesday when Bruce McArthur pleaded guilty to 8 counts of First Degree murder, that some family members of the victims have already indicated they will sit outside court when those details are read out. They will likely be horrifying

About two dozen family members and friends of the victims have just arrived in the courtroom, @TorontoPolice officers who were part of Project Houston & Project Prism (the missing men investigations) are here, as well as members of the public & media

Crown now warning audience that there will be explicit details about some very terrible things that happened calling them “horrifying”. He cautions people about whether or not you want to be exposed to the nature of the things that will be presented to the court.

We have also been told we, the media, will not be receiving a hard copy of the “long” agreed statement of facts until the end of the day. I will do my best to live tweet what’s read out in court today.

Justice John McMahon who is presiding over the Bruce McArthur case was appointed a judge to the Superior court of Ontario in 2004. Since then he’s presided over some of the most high profile cases including most recently Rohinie Bisesar.

Bruce McArthur is now walking into court. Head down, not making eye contact with anyone. He’s in dark jeans, the same red, black and white plaid shirt he wore last week and a black cable knit sweater. I’m close enough to see his nails are long & he hasn’t shaved for a few days

McArthur’s lawyer James Miglin has just arrived. The crown says we have a Farsi interpreter in court but they are awaiting the Tamil interpreter. The courtroom is nearly full. Guessing there are 250 people here

I’m sitting two rows behind McArthur. Directly behind the serial killer is Acting Inspector Hank Idsinga of @TPSHomicide. Justice McMahon says he’s already read all victim impact statements and community impact statements over the weekend.

I’m told the long agreed statement of facts is about 35 pages long. Taking a brief break and then starting. It’s going to be intense. #WARNING there will be very upsetting details tweeted out here shortly. The crown says it could cause you loss of appetite, nausea, nightmares

Here we go. The interpreter is here. Two family members have called in. Family of Selim Esen & Dean Lisowick.

Justice McMahon is addressing the family members of the victims. They’re having trouble hearing. One more 5 min break while court staff try to deal with technical issues

Evidence we will see will include photos and surveillance video and a PowerPoint victim impact statement. Long agreed statement of facts about to be read out by Crown Attorney Michael Cantlon.

Investigative overview. “For years members of the LGBTQ community thought they were being targeted by a killer, they were right”

Project Houston was formed after 3 men went missing between 2010 and 2012. No arrest ever made. Project prism was in response to 2 more men who went missing in 2017. McArthur was arrested in relation to Prism

After getting his van at the wrecking year, they covertly entered his apartment on Dec 7, 2017. Cloned his computer. Found naked pics of Andrew Kinsman with rope around his neck, cinched with a bar. Found similar pics of Selim Esen

In January 2018, they observed a man go into his home. That’s when investigators went in and found a man bound to his bed. They then searched properties including 53 Mallory where they found remains of 7 men in planters

Now going through list of victims. Skanda Navaratnam. Abdulbasir Farsi, Majeed Kayhan, Mahmoudi, Kanagaratnam, Lisowick - photographs found with eyes closed of many of these men found of many of these men on digital devices, often staged

Witnesses provided evidence linking victims to McArthur to key crime scenes. Investigative breakthrough happened with disappearance of Andrew Kinsman. Then they went back to look at other men who went missing going back to 2010

Andrew Kinsman went missing June 26, 2017. Police believe he was killed that day. On June 29, 2017 he was reported missing by a tenant. He was the superintendent of a building in Cabbagetown. She tried calling him. He didn’t answer. She was worried because he left his cat unfed,

... doors unlocked, didn’t mention he was leaving to friends. Kinsman sent an email to tenants at 3 pm on June 26 requesting a reply. He never responded. When they went into his apartment, they found “Bruce” in his calendar on the day of June 26.

Surveillance video showed an older model red dodge caravan outside Kinsman’s residence. Man matching McArthur’s description could be seen. No license plate. Van was seen leaving. We are now seen screen shots of surveillance video of the van in that picked up Kinsman

Now seeing video surveillance from Cabbagetown of the pickup of Kinsman in McArthur’s red van. Date stamped 14:59:55 on June 26, 2017. Van drives through shot. Now looking at 15:07:00. We see video of white man mid thigh

We are now looking at more surveillance video of the van. Hard to see but apparently you can see the face of McArthur.

On Aug 24, 2017, investigator goes to dealership and learns van identified in video as 2004 dodge caravan anniversary addition. Then went to MTO and asked for 2003-2005 vehicles. Det Dickinson got a list of 6181 vehicles. Crossed referenced with names Bruce. There were only 5.

McArthur was the only one who had a 2004 and was the only one who had had any interaction with police. The other 4 “Bruce” persons of interest eliminated. McArthur was arrested for assault June 20, 2016. Did not leave to charges but they had his address at 95 Thorncliffe Park Dr

Police seized underground garage surveillance video from the building. They say 3 fob units were assigned to his 19th floor unit. Bruce, his son and his roommate. They got his license plate from surveillance video. Now they knew who they owner was, they needed to find the vehicle

It was seen at a Bowmanville residence belonging to McArthur. But when police got there it was gone. They eventually found it at a Courtice wrecking yard. He dropped it at the shop before McAthur was driven away in a white suv. Believed to be a family member driving

Crown says no family members of McArthurs believed to be involved in murders. Police seized the van from wrecking yard. Blood found everywhere. Semen found in the rear part of vehicle. Four known DNA profiles located in van. Kinsman’s, McArthur’s, Esen’s, ...

Dec 7, 2017. Police covertly enter McArthurs. Copy USB drive and digital external drive in bedroom. Only downloaded 45 percent of hard drive before they had to leave. Also DNA swab of pillow, DNA swab of metal bar wrapped in tape

Over 100 photos of Andrew Kinsman dating back to 2007 were found on cloned computer drives including photos of deceased victims. There were 18 photos of Kinsman deceased alone. McArthur attempted to deleted them but investigators were able to recover.

Some of photos depict Kinsman on top of fur coat, naked. There is a rope looped around his neck with a knot at one end. There is a loop with a bar wrapped in tape. A mechanism in which turning the bar, would tighten the rope. This bar was found in the apartment

Another series of photographs with murder weapons removed. Ligature marks on neck and wrists. Close up of Kinsman’s genitals.

Sept 5 and Nov 7 2017 McArthur was followed by police. He was followed on 15 dates. On 7 of those dates he went to Mallory Crescent. On sept 6, he was seen there with his son. On Sept 10 he was followed to second cup. Got a fork and a plate discarded to generate a DNA profile

In January, after the arrest, homeowners explained to police that McArthur was allowed to store landscaping tools in exchange for fr was landscaping. McArthur has a set of keys for the property. He watched the home when they go to cottage. A search warrant is executed on house

5 large planter pots are seized. Portions of 7 dismembered bodies were found in the pots. Majeed Kayhan’s remains not found. 4 of victims nearly complete set of remains found. Cause of death for Kinsman and Esen determined as ligature strangulation

Cause of death not determined for other 5 victims. Kinsman: Skull hair appeared shaved. Complete instruction of airway by a ball of paper towel in his windpipe. Post arrest. McArthur said a number of times he hadn’t seen him since Dec 16 at a tim Horton’s parking lot

It was a lie. He was covering up. McArthur told police he only had sex with him once during that interview. Found Kinsman’s semen on a blanket at the Mallory crescent home and his DNA in the back of McArthurs vans. Kinsman’s head was shaved after murder. He was found in a pot

Bar wrapped in tape - murder weapon - found hidden in McArthur’s 2017 dodge caravan after his arrest. Now looking at pic of bar which was found on Kinsman’s digital device. DNA of 3 individuals found on the bar. Another pic shows rope wrapped around the bar

Now Looking at pic showing rope and duct tape found in a drawer in McArthur’s bedroom. McArthur is sitting quietly listening. Now talking about Skanda navaratnam. Came from Sri Lanka. He and McArthur were friends on Facebook. Last seen sept 6, 2010 leaving zippers bar

Navaratnam reported missing Sept 15, 2010. He was killed on Sept 6. Remains found in planter. McArthur was interviewed during during Houston because he knew Navaratnam and Faisi. Said he knew SN from Black Eagle bar. Witness told police he remembered seeing them together ...

But Navaratnam told his friend (the witness) they stopped seeing each other in 2008. They were friends on silver daddies, a gay dating website. Pics of Navaratnam were found in folder on McArthurs computer including a missing poster under file “missingbnp”. Looking at pics now

One of the pics were seeing is the missing persons photo with the 3 men who were missing during Project Houston. It’s a photo we’ve shown you on @globalnewsto over the years. They also found a silver chain bracelet from Navaratnam. Looking at pic of it.

Police also found a brown lacing in McArthur’s van. In centre console. DNA shows it most likely had McArthurs and Navaratnam’s DNA. April 7, 2017 McArthur emails himself phot of Navaratnam. 9 days prior to murdering Selim Esen

Pathologist determined that at least two of victims died of ligature strangulation. That’s agreed facts on two of victims. Taking break. Justice McMahon says it’s very difficult to hear. Back in 20

What a breakthrough by Det Dave Dickinson narrowing down the search from more than 6000 registered owners of Red Dodge Caravans to 5 Bruce’s and then 1.

McArthur has just been brought into the courtroom. He whispers into the ear of his lawyer as the handcuffs are taken off. Now we’re talking about Abdulbaisir Faisi. Dec 29, 2010 he left work. Called his wife at 7:30 pm to say he was going out with a friend that night.

Reported missing the next day by a cousin. Last seen at the Steamworks. A bath house in the village. Faisi’s car found in Jan 2011 in front of a home on Moore Ave, about a km from a house he landscaped. He was asked to housesit for them. Faisi was killed Dec 29, 2010.

McArthur was house sitting for these people over that Xmas. A dark stain was found on a carpet in their bedroom. CFS had it tested later. Only DNA of homeowners found in it. It had been steam cleaned twice. Police found stored bag of hair in a shed on a property he had access to.

USB they found had 8 folders in it. One for each of the victims. Majeed Kayhan regularly frequently black eagle bar. Reported missing October 25, 2012 by his son who had last seen it. Birds in apartment were unattended. Bank card last seen Oct 11. He was killed on or about Oct 18

He was interviewed on Nov 11, 2012 about Kayha. About 2 weeks later he bought a new van. They found a photo of Kayhan found on McArthur’s digital storage device and another on McArthurs phone of Kayhan with eyes closed, unlit cigar in his mouth, fur coat.

coat. It was a staged photo posed in fur while in state of unconsciousness. Similar to other pics seen of victims staged. On July 4, 2018. Blue plastic garbage can was found underground with remains. Under this, a human skull was found in a bag. K9 dogs found a pelvis & ribcage

All week, police dig behind Mallory crescent on that escapement and found more bounds. It’s then they found Majeed Kayhan’s remains. He was the later victim whose remains were identified

Now learning about incident in early 2000’s regarding Sex worker who he assaulted with a metal bar. At the time of the record of suspensions, he had already performed three undetected murders.

Saroush Mahmoudi was 49 when he was murdered on or about Aug 15, 2015. Photos found with his eyes taped over. Rope around his neck (like Esen, Kinsman and Lisowick). Unlit cigar between his lips (like Kayhan). Wearing a fur coat (Esen, Lisowick, & Kayhan.

During post arrest interview, McArthur admitted to keeping white rope in his bedroom. He also explained he had “kink” gear. His photo collection involved an unconscious mr Mahmoudi wearing crouchless pants

Photos show close-ups of the face and genitals. Believed photos were taken Aug 16, 2016 at 12:09 am. Coincides with time of disappearance. Investigators found a fur coat in the new dodge caravan. Mahmudi’s DNA found on the fur. His remains were found at the Mallory home in 2 pots

Jan 9, 2016 Kirusha Kanagaratnam was murdered. Friends said he worked in a restaurant as a cleaner. Witnesses said he was unaware of any intimate relationships he had. Met on a regular basis with friends at a convenience store. His refugee claim denied April 2015. Scheduled to be

Deported. He was 37. He was never reporting missing. Friends thought he was in hiding because of deportation. 5 photos of Kanagaratnam found. He tried to delete them. His photos were shown to public. He was Identified thru fingerprints

Photos of Kanagaratnam show him naked, incapacitated, on garbage bags. Visible trauma to his neck. Close ups of genitals, his face. They were taken Jan 9, 2016. His remains found in a pot wrapped in a plastic bag. Remains identities through prints & DNA. Head shaved after murder

Dean Lisowick. Regularly lived in shelters in Toronto. Last seen April 22, 2016 when he was discharged from Scott Mission. He was killed on or about the next day. He was 43. No one reported him missing. Photos found on McArthurs computer.

Lisowick is seeing naked on bed. Lying unconscious. In a fur coat. One photo is a screen shot from McArthurs computer as McArthur reviewed photo nearly 8 months after murder. Another shows Lisowick eyes closed, mouth pulled open by a right hand.

A search of McArthurs email accounts show that he accessed pic of Lisowick naked unconscious in a fur with a rope around his neck and sent it to another of McArthurs email accounts. Fur found in McArthur’s van had blood on inside lining believed to be Lisowick’s DNA

Fur found in a hidden unit in his dodge caravan. Police found in McArthurs bedroom. A silver ring. A beaded necklace and a silver ring with brass accents. DNA on these items believed to be Lisowick’s. Most of body parts found in planter pot on Mallory Cres

June 20, 2016. Attempted choking. A man he knew for years. Asked him to meet him in a parking lot. Seats gone in backseat. Floor of van had plastic sheet on it with fur coat lying open. Told him to lie on back. Held his wrists. Victim asked him to stop. He did not. mcArthur

grabbed his throat and attempted to strangle him. Asked McArthur “what do you want?” He got away. Called 911. McArthur went to police station on his own. Gave a statement. Was let go. His past conviction wasn’t seen by police because of his record suspension.

April 30, 2017. Selim Esen’s friends call police to report him missing. Last seen Yonge and Bloor April 14. He texted friends but they didn’t notice it April 16. He didn’t have anywhere to live. He was last seen at St Stephens (shelter) on April 7.

He was killed on or about April 16. Body found dismembered in 2 pots. Died of ligature strangulation. Pathologist also observed shaved black hairs in his airway after post mortem decapitation. Esen’s blood found in McArthur’s caravan

Esen’s DNA also found on bar wrapped in tape in his van. Same device he used to kill Kinsman. Bar with rope. Search found esen’s personal notebook in bedroom. Found pics of Esen McArthur trying to delete. One series he’s unconscious

Another series of photos Esen naked from waist down. Hands bound. White rope around his neck, cinched by the taped bar. Appears to be same bar used in Kinsman’s murder. Other photos staged in fur coat. Close ups of Esen’s genitals

Another photo shows a hacksaw under Mr Esen. McArthurs devices also contained news articles covering the disappearances of Kinsman and Esen.

Jan 18, 2018. Told police in his post arrest interview about picking up a man with same description as Esen around midnight near Yonge and Bloor in April 2017. Said man looked homeless and asked him for 40 dollars. Photos found on McArthurs devices contradicts what he told police

Said he invited Esen back to his place. They had sex and Esen left. But photos demonstrate Esen never left alive. Seeing photos of McArthurs bedroom now. A grey four poster. Esen was photographed bearded, like other victims, but ended up staged.

Esen was photographed in bedroom and in a vehicle like most of victims in compromising state. Andrew Kinsman was murdered on June 26, 2017. McArthur met a man online on growler identified as John. Met Jan 18, 2017. They had met before. John told Bruce he didn’t tell his wife ...

John told him it was a secret and no one knew. They had been together before. McArthur said they were going to try something knew. McArthur took handcuffs and secured hands to a bed. Put a black leather bag over his head. Got bag off. McArthur tried to tape his mouth shut

McArthur was under surveillance. Police went to the apartment under the exigent circumstances. Arrested McArthur. Man found handcuffed to bed. They also found on computer a directory with 9 sub folders. The 8 victims he murdered and the one for John.

Folders all had nicknames. Slidder Dean Lisowick. Turkish Guy Esen. Andy Andrew Kinsman. On the day of Kinsman’s murder, crown says McArthur searched for John and downloaded pics of him from social media.

Ten minute break

I didn’t cover Bernardo only Homolka’s release from prison in 2005 but my friend, a sketch artist next to me, says this is nothing compared to Bernardo. This is pretty upsetting I have to say. Feeling for all the families of the victims right now

McArthur walks back in hunched over. Head down. Seems much older than his 67 years. Crown says 8 victims had similarities. Ties to LGBTQ community. Met through social dating apps. 6 immigrants. Middle eastern. Traits that had victimization harder to detect

Some were not out. Some didn’t have social housing. Evidence he sought out men with vulnerabilities to cover up his crimes. Sex was often how he lured them. Strangled them with rope in his apt. Posed victims post offence. Photographing. Keeping items of victims. Buried at Mallory

Post death. He posed them naked. With cigars in their mouths. In a fur coat. Repeatedly took photos. A fur hat in some cases of Mahmudi and Kayhan. Seeing pic of fur hat now found in McArthurs motor vehicle. In 2018 found bags of hair on a property McArthur stored in a shed

Hair stored on a property south of a Mount Pleasant cemetery. Ziplock bags being shown with bags of hair. Some of remains were disturbed on Mallory post internment. Kayhan’s remains found on escarpment. Remains co-mingled. It appears he moved remains after the initial burial

The Wind last, Metal bar and rope contained DNA of several victims. He kept the weapon. He saved personal belongings like esen’s notebook, necklace belonging to Dean Lisowick (wearing in posed photos taken by McArthur at time of death) seeing these items now in pictures

Crown attorney Michael Cantlon sounds like he’s choked up now as he discusses the pictures found and the folders labelled for the 8 victims and John. John was found bound and tied to McArthurs bed.

Planning and deliberation, murder during sex or during forcible confinement. The murders were deliberate. Photo evidence the victims were restrained and sexually assaulting. As said before black duffel bag in bedroom was found with duct tape

Rope, zip ties, black bungee cord, surgical gloves, syringes to restrain his victims. Crown has not received from police that there are any other victims that the victims outlined in this agreed statement of facts. That’s the crowns evidence. Judge says he will take all this

Into account when he decides his sentence. McMahon must decide if Bruce McArthur will serve concurrent or consecutive sentences. Court is breaking now until 2:15. Victim impact statements will begin after lunch.

McArthur is still sitting in the prisoner’s box. McArthur is going to the cells for lunch. His face is somewhat red. He doesn’t loook at anyone in the body of the court as he’s handcuffed and led away

These are the nicknames that McArthur gave to 8 subfolders for his 8 victims they found on his USB drive. He also had a 9th folder for a man Bruce McArthur knew as “John”. John escaped on the day of McArthur’s arrest. He was a married man found naked & handcuffed to his bad

Court is back on. Justice McMahon is now allowing release of the photographic evidence being released to the media. It’s anticipated that 13 victim impact statements will be read by individuals. And a number of community victim impact statements

First victim impact statement from Philip Warren, a friend of Skandaraj Navaratnam. They were neighbours. He remembers when he disappeared and said it took him several years to deal with the loss. Secretly he believed he had been killed. “I hope Justice will be served at last”

Nadia Walley, is speaking on behalf of the family of Selim Esen “we can’t come to terms with his savage murder. We also find it hard to believe that the serial killing of 8 innocent gay men went unnoticed for 7 years. This man took his man to plan and prey”

“This is a homophobic serial killing. Selim spent his life asking why. We will continue his quest and keeping asking why”

Karen Coles is the next person up reading a victim impact statement. Big sister of Andrew Kinsman “now I lie awake and think about how he was dismembered by someone he knew. It saddens me to know that Andrew is gone. I miss him very much”

Patricia Kinsman, reading a statement on behalf of herself and her brother Stephen Kinsman. Found he was missing by a Facebook missing poster. Looked for him for 6 months. “ a life that was snuffed out by someone who knew him for 15 years”

Now reading a statement on behalf of her brother Stephen. “After his body parts were identified, I started having nightmares. Andrew was tied to the bed and BM was attacking him”. Stephen says he started drinking more alcohol & is now in counselling

Ted Healey now giving his victim impact statement. Friend of Andrew Kinsman. “I’m confused how he maintained his relationship and then took his life. His name in his diary was instrumental in his arrest. Andrew outsmarted him. Andrew beat him.”

Healey now reading a statement on behalf of another friend of Andrew Kinsman. “As the days and weeks went by, my emotions remained the same. Fear and sadness”. After arrest. “Surprise and anger” I knew the person in the picture. this was not a stranger.

Leaving court now to prepare for @globalnewsto at 5:30 and 6. Please folo @NWestoll for more from court