Toronto man, 66, charged with 2 counts of first-degree murder in missing men probe

Efforts to assuage fears that a serial killer was active in Toronto’s Gay Village came to a chilling end on Thursday, when Toronto police announced the arrest of a 66-year-old man they allege murdered at least two missing men, and possibly more.

Bruce McArthur, 66, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Andrew Kinsman, 49, and Selim Esen, 43, after police say new and “significant” evidence came to light on Wednesday.

McArthur is a self-employed landscaper who lives in Thorncliffe Park and runs a company called Artistic Design.

“We believe he is responsible for the deaths of Kinsman and Esen,” Det.-Sgt. Hank Idsinga said from police headquarters, adding investigators have evidence that leads them to believe there are more victims

“We aren’t able at this time to identify those victims. We are aware of the other missing men from the village and we are trying to identify if they may have become victims of Mr. McArthur as well.”

The bodies of Kinsman and Selim have not been found, but Idsinga said police have a “pretty good idea of what the cause of death is.”

Kinsman has been missing since June 26. Esen hasn’t been seen since April 15.

Police had previously said there was no evidence connecting the disappearances of the two men or several other men who remain missing from the Gay Village.

Chief Mark Saunders was at Wednesday’s news conference, and he defended how police handled the case.

“What I said, at the time that I said it, was accurate at the time,” he stressed, referring to how police had previously tried to downplay fears of a serial killer.

Idsinga said McArthur knew at least one of his alleged victims.

“He did have a relationship with Mr. Kinsman for some time,” he said. “We don’t know what his exact relationship with Mr. Esen was leading up to his (alleged) murder.”

When asked what the nature of the relationship with Kinsman was, Idsinga replied, “sexual.”