More remains found at property linked to alleged serial killer

TORONTO — Investigators clung to the steep edge of a ravine on Thursday, some on their hands and knees, as they scraped through heaps of dirt and brush searching for more human remains near a home in Toronto where accused serial killer Bruce McArthur worked as a landscaper.

Some remains were discovered at the property Wednesday, just hours after police resumed digging in the area for the first time in about five months, said Det. Sgt. Hank Idsinga.

“We have work to do . . . linking them to the McArthur investigation, but I think geographically, where the remains were found, we’re not going to have much of an issue doing that,” Idsinga told reporters near the site where the remains were found.

Investigators have previously found the remains of seven men hidden in large planters at the home. Idsinga said the remains recovered Wednesday could be from one or more of those men.

McArthur, 66, has been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of eight men with ties to Toronto’s gay village. The remains of only one of those men — Majeed Kayhan — have yet to be found.

McArthur is alleged to have killed Kayhan, Selim Esen, Skandaraj Navaratnam, Andrew Kinsman, Dean Lisowick, Soroush Mahmudi, Abdulbasir Faizi and Kirushna Kanagaratnam.

Police have searched about 100 properties with links to McArthur’s landscaping business, and cadaver dogs found a few spots of interest but, after some “minor excavations,” nothing was found, he said.

Several weeks ago, the dogs searched the ravine and found “multiple spots” of interest, Idsinga said.

The search of the ravine is expected to continue for another week, Idsinga said.

The remains have been sent to the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service for further examination.