Timeline of key disappearances in Toronto police 'serial killer' probe

CTV National News: Disturbing picture released Graphic: Toronto police have released a picture of an unidentified victim of an alleged serial killer. Peter Akman reports.

CTVNews.ca breaks down key events in the disappearances of several individuals, many of whom have been linked to a suspected serial killer in Toronto.

Police have charged self-employed landscaper Bruce McArthur, 66, with six counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Majeed Kayhan, Soroush Mahmudi, Dean Lisowick, Andrew Kinsman, Selim Esen and Skandaraj Navaratnam.

None of the murder charges against McArthur have been tested in court.

2003: McArthur is found guilty of one count of assault causing bodily harm and one count of assault with a weapon, in connection with an incident in 2001. He is barred from visiting Toronto’s gay village, and from spending time with male prostitutes. A judge gives him a two-year conditional sentence and orders him to receive counselling.

Sept. 6, 2010: Skandaraj Navaratnam, 40, is reported missing. He is known to frequent Toronto’s gay village in the area of Church Street and Wellesley Street.

Dec. 29, 2010: Abdulbasir Faizi, 42, is reported missing. Faizi is also a member of Toronto’s gay village community.

Oct. 14, 2012: Majeed Kayhan, 58, of Toronto, is reported missing. Kayhan is also a member of Toronto’s gay village community.

November 2012: Project Houston is formed to investigate the disappearances of Kayhan, Navaratnam and Faizi.

April 2014: Project Houston concludes after an 18-month investigation with police saying none of their findings would classify anyone as a suspect of a criminal offence.

August 2015: Soroush Mahmudi, 50, of Toronto, is reported missing.

May 2016-July 2017: Dean Lisowick, either 43 or 44, of no fixed address, is believed to have been killed during this time, according to police.

April 20, 2017: Selim Esen, 44, of Toronto, is reported missing. He was last seen alive on March 20. Esen is believed to be a member of Toronto’s gay community.

June 28, 2017: Andrew Kinsman, 49, of Toronto, is reported missing. He was last seen alive on June 26. Kinsman was also known to be a member of Toronto’s gay community.

August 2017: Project Prism is formed to investigate disappearances of Esen and Kinsman, amid pressure from the public.

September 2017: Police identify Bruce McArthur as “someone to be included or excluded” in connection with Kinsman’s disappearance, police confirmed in January, 2018.

October 2017: Police begin following Bruce McArthur.

Oct. 3, 2017: Investigators visit Dom’s Auto Parts in Courtice, Ont., and recover McArthur’s Dodge Caravan.

Dec. 5, 2017: Police warn members of Toronto’s gay community to be wary of dating apps.

Dec. 8, 2017: Police say there is no reason to believe the disappearances of Kinsman and Esen are related to the subjects of Project Houston.

Jan. 17, 2018: Investigators search several properties linked to McArthur, including his residence at Thorncliffe Park, and a property on Mallory Crescent where he was known to store supplies. Evidence is found that McArthur may have been responsible for the deaths of Kinsman and Esen.

Jan. 18, 2018: McArthur is arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Navaratnam is found to be listed as a friend on McArthur’s Facebook page.

Jan. 29, 2018: McArthur is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Kayhan, Mahmudi and Lisowick. Investigators reveal that remains were found in large planters at the Mallory Crescent address. Police identify approximately 30 properties where more remains may be concealed inside large planters.

Feb. 8, 2018: Police recover the remains of six people from planters at a house where McArthur worked as a landscaper, and say they expect to lay more charges.

Feb. 13, 2018: Police say excavation at the home's backyard turned up no human remains, but suggest they may "revisit the scene" when the weather warms up.

Feb. 23, 2018: Police lay a sixth charge of first-degree murder against McArthur, identify Navaratnam as one of the alleged victims whose remains were found in the planters.

March 5, 2018: Police say they've recovered the remains of a seventh person linked to McArthur. They also release the photograph of a dead man believed to be a victim of McArthur in the hopes the public will help identify him.

NOTE: The whereabouts of Faizi have not been determined.