Epstein dedicated the report to Andrew Kinsman, Selim Esen, Majeed Kayhan, Soroush Mahmudi, Dean Lisowick, Skandaraj (Skanda) Navaratnam, Abdulbasir Faizi, Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam – who McArthur killed – along with Alloura Wells, a trans woman found dead in a ravine in 2017 and Tess Richey, a young woman whose body was found in an outdoor stairwell by her mother after police failed to locate her.
Epstein concluded that while a number officers worked hard to investigate the disappearances, others had “misconceptions or stereotypical ideas” about the gay community – and that these perceptions hampered the search fo the killer.
At the same time, investigators “failed to appreciate” the barriers that “prevented some witnesses from coming forward”– including a deep mistrust of police in marginalized communities and a long history of criminalization of the LGBTQ+ communities.
Report finds serious flaws in how Toronto police investigated missing-persons cases
by The Canadian Press
Posted Apr 13, 2021 11:45 am EDT
Tess Richey, 22, last seen on Saturday in the Church and Wellesley area, NOV. 29, 2017. TORONTO POLICE SERVICES/Handout
TORONTO – An independent review has found systemic discrimination contributed to deficiencies in a number of missing-persons investigations conducted by Toronto police.
The review, led by former judge Gloria Epstein, examined policies and procedures related to missing-persons cases, as well as how officers investigated the disappearances of residents who were later found to have been killed.
It focused on the eight men murdered by serial killer Bruce McArthur, as well as Tess Richey, a young woman whose body was found in an outdoor stairwell by her mother, and Alloura Wells, a trans woman found dead in a ravine.
Hunt for Toronto serial killer hampered by police prejudice, report says msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Bruce McArthur, 69, was sentenced to life in prison in 2019
He pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting, killing and dismembering eight men he met in Toronto s Gay Village between 2010 and 2017
All but one of the victims was found buried in planters on the property of Karen Fraser and her husband Ron Smith
This week Fraser revealed her shock at the grisly discoveries at her home
She said she initially couldn t believe the generous man she knew was a killer
Three years later she s still sickened by what was found in her yard
How Was Bruce McArthur Caught? The Evidence, Explained | Catching A Serial Killer: Bruce McArthur oxygen.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from oxygen.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.