Human body parts sent to Canada schools: police

MONTREAL, Canada (AFP) – Human remains sent in separate packages were found Tuesday, June 5, at two schools in the western Canadian city of Vancouver, police said, following the grisly dismemberment of a Chinese student in Montreal.

Investigators emphasized that they could not yet link the discoveries in Vancouver to the murder of Lin Jun, who was allegedly killed by Luka Rocco Magnotta, the suspect dubbed the “Canadian Psycho” who was arrested in Germany.

“The first package containing what appeared to be a human hand was opened by a staff member” at a Vancouver elementary school, police said in a statement.

The second package “containing what appeared to be a human foot” was found by staff at another school a few hours later, they said, emphasizing that there was so far “no indication of an identity” of the victim.

“The investigation will center on identifying the victim and from where the packages were mailed. Investigators will liaise with any outside police agencies as required,” Vancouver police said.

Earlier in the day, police in Montreal confirmed that a severed hand and foot sent to the offices of Canadian political parties belonged to Lin Jun, who had been dating the 29-year-old Magnotta.

Magnotta was arrested in an Internet cafe in Berlin on Monday after a days-long global manhunt and is now in German custody awaiting extradition to Canada.

The suspect has been dubbed the ‘Canadian Psycho’ for allegedly killing Lin with an ice pick, carving up his body and sending the victim’s hand and foot to the offices of the Conservative and Liberal parties of Canada.

Magnotta is widely believed to have filmed the crime and posted the video online, where it went viral.

The victim’s torso, which has also been identified as belonging to Lin, was discovered in a suitcase outside Magnotta’s apartment building, authorities had earlier said.

Police sources in Montreal had said Lin’s head, a hand and a foot were still missing. – Agence France-Presse