Ontario reviews Toronto mayor’s call for inquiry into serial killings
TORONTO — Ontario’s attorney general says the government is reviewing a call from Toronto’s mayor for a public inquiry into the police handling of missingpersons cases, including six men allegedly murdered by accused serial killer Bruce McArthur.
Yasir Naqvi said the province will maintain a dialogue with the city on next steps after the conclusion of criminal proceedings.
Questions about the handling of two previous police investigations into five missing men arose as detectives investigated McArthur, a 66-year-old landscaper who is facing six charges of first-degree murder. All the alleged victims had ties to the city’s LGBTQ community.
Mayor John Tory said Wednesday that he was “deeply disturbed” after learning that “concerning” information uncovered during the McArthur investigation had prompted an internal police probe.
Tory said he would also support an independent external review of the Toronto Police Service’s practices with respect to missingperson investigations.
Police spokeswoman Meaghan Gray said Wednesday that the force’s professional standards unit launched the internal investigation on Monday, but she declined to say what prompted the probe.
Two sources with knowledge of the case said the “concerning” information was linked to a police interview with McArthur years ago for an unrelated incident.
Members of the city’s LGBTQ community have complained for years that police were ignoring their concerns about a possible serial killer on the loose. Late last year, Toronto police assured the community that there was no known link between the cases.