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Canada body parts victim was Chinese student, say police Canada body parts victim was Chinese student, say police
(4 months later)
The murder victim whose body parts were mailed to Canada's top political parties was a Chinese student, police have said. Authorities in France are searching for the man blamed for the killing, which was videotaped and posted online.The murder victim whose body parts were mailed to Canada's top political parties was a Chinese student, police have said. Authorities in France are searching for the man blamed for the killing, which was videotaped and posted online.
Montreal police identified the victim as Jun Lin, 33. Police have said he dated Luka Rocco Magnotta, who is now on Interpol's most-wanted list and is believed to have fled to France.Montreal police identified the victim as Jun Lin, 33. Police have said he dated Luka Rocco Magnotta, who is now on Interpol's most-wanted list and is believed to have fled to France.
A French police official said Magnotta apparently flew to Paris from Montreal last weekend, before the case came to light.A French police official said Magnotta apparently flew to Paris from Montreal last weekend, before the case came to light.
Commander Ian Lafreniere of Montreal police said Jun Lin had no family in the city but a family member reported him missing on Tuesday. He was last seen on 24 May. Lafreniere said the murder was on the night of 24-25 May and the suspect left for Europe on 26 May.Commander Ian Lafreniere of Montreal police said Jun Lin had no family in the city but a family member reported him missing on Tuesday. He was last seen on 24 May. Lafreniere said the murder was on the night of 24-25 May and the suspect left for Europe on 26 May.
According to a missing person's notice on the website of the Chinese consulate in Montreal, the victim was from the city of Wuhan and arrived in Montreal in July 2011.According to a missing person's notice on the website of the Chinese consulate in Montreal, the victim was from the city of Wuhan and arrived in Montreal in July 2011.
"He is a Chinese citizen who studied at a university here in Montreal and was here for a certain time," Lafreniere said. "Thanks to the Chinese embassy we have been able to reach the family with the sad news of what happened.""He is a Chinese citizen who studied at a university here in Montreal and was here for a certain time," Lafreniere said. "Thanks to the Chinese embassy we have been able to reach the family with the sad news of what happened."
A spokesman for Concordia University said Lin was registered as an undergraduate in the department of engineering and computer science. The Concordia president, Frederick Lowy, expressed his condolences. "We are saddened to learn of this loss of life and it has affected our community, especially those who knew him. In the face of such an unfortunate event we are offering support to our staff, faculty and students in coping with this unexpected death."A spokesman for Concordia University said Lin was registered as an undergraduate in the department of engineering and computer science. The Concordia president, Frederick Lowy, expressed his condolences. "We are saddened to learn of this loss of life and it has affected our community, especially those who knew him. In the face of such an unfortunate event we are offering support to our staff, faculty and students in coping with this unexpected death."
Kankan Huang, the owner of a Montreal convenience store where Jun Lin worked about 10 hours a week, said he knew something was amiss when Jun Lin didn't show up for work last week because he had never missed a shift since he was hired in August 2011.Kankan Huang, the owner of a Montreal convenience store where Jun Lin worked about 10 hours a week, said he knew something was amiss when Jun Lin didn't show up for work last week because he had never missed a shift since he was hired in August 2011.
Estrella Hedriana, the superintendent of the four-storey apartment building where Lin lived in Montreal, said a friend came searching after he had not been seen for three days and then reported him missing after finding the apartment empty. Hedriana said she had never seen Magnotta, who lived about two miles (3km) west of her building.Estrella Hedriana, the superintendent of the four-storey apartment building where Lin lived in Montreal, said a friend came searching after he had not been seen for three days and then reported him missing after finding the apartment empty. Hedriana said she had never seen Magnotta, who lived about two miles (3km) west of her building.
The Chinese consulate in Montreal said in a statement on its website that it was a "terrible and odious crime employing exceptionally cruel methods" and expressed hope the culprit would be promptly caught and tried.The Chinese consulate in Montreal said in a statement on its website that it was a "terrible and odious crime employing exceptionally cruel methods" and expressed hope the culprit would be promptly caught and tried.
On Tuesday a package containing a severed foot was opened at the ruling Conservative party headquarters in Ottawa. Then a hand was found at a postal facility, addressed to the Liberal party of Canada, and a torso in a suitcase on a pile of rubbish outside Magnotta's Montreal apartment building.On Tuesday a package containing a severed foot was opened at the ruling Conservative party headquarters in Ottawa. Then a hand was found at a postal facility, addressed to the Liberal party of Canada, and a torso in a suitcase on a pile of rubbish outside Magnotta's Montreal apartment building.
Montreal police have said they believe Magnotta, 29, fled for France based on evidence they found at his apartment and a blog he once wrote about how to disappear. "What will hinder him the most is what he used to glorify himself, the web, with all the photos we have of him," Lafreniere said. But he warned that Magnotta is "someone who can disguise himself, he can change into a woman, wear a wig".Montreal police have said they believe Magnotta, 29, fled for France based on evidence they found at his apartment and a blog he once wrote about how to disappear. "What will hinder him the most is what he used to glorify himself, the web, with all the photos we have of him," Lafreniere said. But he warned that Magnotta is "someone who can disguise himself, he can change into a woman, wear a wig".
Lafreniere said Magnotta could be anywhere in Europe and "there's even been talk he might have returned to Canada under another identity".Lafreniere said Magnotta could be anywhere in Europe and "there's even been talk he might have returned to Canada under another identity".
Police suspect Magnotta filmed the murder. The video, posted online, shows a man stabbing another man with an ice pick while the victim lies naked and tied up. The first man later reveals he has slashed the other man's throat. He dismembers the corpse and performs sexual acts with it.Police suspect Magnotta filmed the murder. The video, posted online, shows a man stabbing another man with an ice pick while the victim lies naked and tied up. The first man later reveals he has slashed the other man's throat. He dismembers the corpse and performs sexual acts with it.
"We have quite convincing proof of the crime he committed," Lafreniere said on Friday, referring to the video, which police have been trying to get removed from the internet. "It's not a movie, it's not something that was made up, it's a real human getting decapitated in front of the camera," he said. Veteran officers had found it the most horrifying thing they had seen on video, Lafreniere said."We have quite convincing proof of the crime he committed," Lafreniere said on Friday, referring to the video, which police have been trying to get removed from the internet. "It's not a movie, it's not something that was made up, it's a real human getting decapitated in front of the camera," he said. Veteran officers had found it the most horrifying thing they had seen on video, Lafreniere said.
Magnotta's birth name is Eric Clinton Newman and he is also known by the name Vladimir Romanov. Police have described him as white and 1.78 metres in height with blue eyes and black hair. A police official said he was a porn actor.Magnotta's birth name is Eric Clinton Newman and he is also known by the name Vladimir Romanov. Police have described him as white and 1.78 metres in height with blue eyes and black hair. A police official said he was a porn actor.
The Interpol red notice states he was born in Scarborough, a district east of downtown Toronto.The Interpol red notice states he was born in Scarborough, a district east of downtown Toronto.
Derek MacKinnon, a former resident of the building where Magnotta lived, said he was the only person Magnotta would speak to in the building. MacKinnon identified himself as an actor who played a serial killer in the 1980 horror film Terror Train. "I was a killer who killed 11 people in this film, so he was rather interested in my career versus his," MacKinnon said.Derek MacKinnon, a former resident of the building where Magnotta lived, said he was the only person Magnotta would speak to in the building. MacKinnon identified himself as an actor who played a serial killer in the 1980 horror film Terror Train. "I was a killer who killed 11 people in this film, so he was rather interested in my career versus his," MacKinnon said.
"It was like a quick conversation, not like anything big. And knowing that we were both gay, I think that's probably where he had the connection with me because he was extremely cold, stand-offish, wouldn't talk to anybody, but he would stop for a sec to say something to me, and I think that he felt there was a kindred spirit or something between the two of us.""It was like a quick conversation, not like anything big. And knowing that we were both gay, I think that's probably where he had the connection with me because he was extremely cold, stand-offish, wouldn't talk to anybody, but he would stop for a sec to say something to me, and I think that he felt there was a kindred spirit or something between the two of us."
He said Magnotta "was always well groomed" until the last time he saw him, on 25 May, when Magnotta was having "a bad hair day". "It was red and he normally is dark," MacKinnon said. "It looked like a really bad wig."He said Magnotta "was always well groomed" until the last time he saw him, on 25 May, when Magnotta was having "a bad hair day". "It was red and he normally is dark," MacKinnon said. "It looked like a really bad wig."
Nina Arsenault, a Toronto transsexual who claimed she had a relationship with Magnotta over a decade ago, told journalists in Canada that the suspect was a drug user with a temper who sometimes turned his anger on himself. "He was hard-tempered, self-absorbed, manipulative, angry, aggressive," Arsenault told the Associated Press of the man she met when he was around 18 and she 28.Nina Arsenault, a Toronto transsexual who claimed she had a relationship with Magnotta over a decade ago, told journalists in Canada that the suspect was a drug user with a temper who sometimes turned his anger on himself. "He was hard-tempered, self-absorbed, manipulative, angry, aggressive," Arsenault told the Associated Press of the man she met when he was around 18 and she 28.
Magnotta would often hit himself in the head and other parts of his body. "That was very frequent, like some kind of compulsive behavior he couldn't stop," she said.Magnotta would often hit himself in the head and other parts of his body. "That was very frequent, like some kind of compulsive behavior he couldn't stop," she said.
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