UPDATE! Luka Magnotta has been arrested in Berlin!
Canadian model and porn star Luka Rocco Magnotta is the subject of an international manhunt after he mailed the severed foot of murder victim Lin Jun. According to friends and family, the 33 year-old Jun had departed his homeland of China to study at Concordia University in July 2011 and had frequently associated with Magnotta.
After the foot was uncovered from a blood-stained, foul-smelling package by a staff member of Canada’s Conservative Party on Tuesday, May 29, 2012, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) was notified. Later the same day, several more packages containing dismembered parts were recovered at three locations in Montreal and Ottawa.
Magnotta became the prime suspect when an authenticated video of the fatal stabbing, cannibalism, and dismemberment was posted online. A subsequent search of Magnotta’s apartment unveiled a ghastly crime scene which stunned even the most jaded of officers.
A warrant was issued for the arrest of Luka Magnotta on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, but their suspect disappeared before he could be taken into custody. It was once believed Magnotta might try to hide in France but a intense search of country has produced negative results. Some sources have speculated the suspect may have returned to Canada under an assumed name.
Luka Rocco Magnotta
As Magnotta made headlines as an international fugitive, the internet has sprang to life with stories about the suspected killer and his violent personality.
The British tabliod The Sun told authorities that, in December 2011, they had received a video of a kitten being fed to a python snake. A second video depicted a kitten being suffocated in a plastic bag. An unknown source told the tabloid Magnotta was the sources of the videos. Soon after his name was connected with the vidoes, The Sun says Magnotta appeared at their offices and denied any knowledge. However, these same videos have appeared in posts on Magnotta’s blog.
Soon thereafter, The Sun received an email from a “John Kilbride” claiming to be the maker of kitten videos with a warning that he would kill again but his next victims would not be animals. Reporter Alex West says he is certain the message was from Magnotta.
The Sun provided the videos and emails to Scotland Yard but no charges were made against Magnotta because of jurisdictional issues.
In 2007, rumors were spreading that Magnotta had once been in a relationship with famed Canadian serial killer Karla Homolka. It’s likely these rumors were started by Magnotta himself in an effort to boost his chances of being chosen as a contestant on a now defunct gay-themed Canadian reality show. The rumors, however, were enough to warrant interviews on Newstalk 1010 radio and with the Toronto Sun. During the interviews, Magnotta stated he had never had a relationship with Homolka, as well as saying he was a male model, a porn star, addicted to plastic surgery, undergoing psychological therapy, and had dreams of being a police officer.
Magnotta has also used the alias Vladimir Romanov for his internet writings, some of which have been detailed explanations of homosexuality written in Russian and Arabic.
An online post was published in 2011 by a “Rocco Magnotta” titled HowTto Disappear Completely and Never Be Found,” wherein the writer details six steps to creating a new identity and disappearing without a trace. It is a subject somewhat familiar to Magnotta, who legally changed his name from Eric Clinton Newman in 2006.
As of this writing, there are fourteen profiles bearing Luka Magnotta’s name. On of the fan pages, created in 2009, declares Magnotta to be “a Canadian male model who has become world famous through his photographs and television appearances.”
Little is known about Magnotta’s childhood. Some who claim to have attended school and/or been friends with Magnotta say his relationship with his father was very volatile and that he had minimal contact with his family in past years. Oddly, one of these friends declares Magnotta was “always happy.” Alternatively, a recent neighbor says Magnotta is “the coldest person you’ve ever met.” These differing opinions of Magnotta gives credence to the suspect’s online claims that he suffers from Bipolar Disorder – a mental defect which causes extreme fluctuations in moods.
Magnotta is described as 29 years-old, caucasian, 5 feet 8 inches (5’8″) tall, black hair, blue eyes, and weighing in at approximately 135 pounds. Some have speculated Magnotta may even attempt to disguise himself as a woman to avoid detection.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Luka Rocco Magnotta please call the Montreal Police at (514) 280-2015 or 911, if in the Montreal area. Outside of North America, tipsters should visit the Interpol website for more on how to contact authorities with information.
Sources: Montreal Police wanted person announcement, The Gazette, USA Today, National Post, Newstalk 1010, CNN, CTV News, Wikipedia
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