Bruce McArthur: Canadian serial killer pleads guilty to eight murders

Canadian serial killer Bruce McArthur has pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder, after he was accused of sexually assaulting, killing and dismembering men he had met in Toronto’s Gay Village district.

McArthur was investigated and arrested after the remains of seven men were discovered buried in large planters on a property he had worked on as a landscaper. The remains of an eighth victim were found in a ravine behind the same property, according to police.

Canada’s Global News says there will be an investigation into how police handled McArthur’s case, as he was well known to police and had a history of violence.

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“Sixteen years ago, he was convicted of assault and banned from visiting the Village, the historic home of Toronto’s LGBTQ+ community,” Global News says.

The Toronto Star says McArthur is unlikely to ever be released from prison, noting that he “would not be eligible for full parole until he is at least 91”, as the sentence for first-degree murder is life in prison with no chance of parole before 25 years.