Murder suspect Luka Magnotta back in Montreal
Posted June 18, 2012 9:21 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
MONTREAL (NEWS1130) – Murder suspect Luka Rocco Magnotta is back in Montreal and will appear in court tomorrow on first-degree murder and four other charges.
Six Montreal police officers accompanied him back to Canada on a military plane from Germany.
Magnotta was arrested in an Internet cafe in Berlin after Montreal police issued a warrant for his arrest.
Ian Lafreniere is a Commander with Montreal Police.
“These people have been working extremely hard to see a result like this today, and we’re relieved because now the alleged killer is in Montreal and facing justice,” he says.
News1130 Legal Analyst Michael Shapray says despite the sensationalism of the case, he will be treated like any other suspect when he lands back on Canadian soil.
“Once he’s landed in Canada, he will be taken before a judge and he will have the opportunity for a bail hearing. That’s something that anybody charged with a criminal offence in Canada would have,” notes Shapray.
His assumption is that the bail hearing will get delayed.
“He’ll likely be seeking legal advise and be getting a lawyer. Then they’ll be coming back to court and starting to examine the evidence against him.”
Shapray says if Magnotta pleads not guilty, then he’ll be sent for a preliminary inquiry and/or a trial.
The 29-year-old is the prime suspect in last month’s killing and dismemberment of Montreal university student Jun Lin.
Montreal police confirmed body parts delivered to two schools in Vancouver belonged to Lin. A hand was delivered to False Creek Elementary, while a foot was delivered to St George’s.
Lin’s torso was discovered in a suitcase outside a working-class apartment building in Montreal on May 29th. A hand and foot were also mailed to political parties in Ottawa.
The murder of Lin sparked an international manhunt which led to the arrest of Magnotta in Berlin.
