Packages containing a human hand and foot were delivered to schools in western Canada yesterday as the suspect in a cannibalistic murder and dismemberment told German police he would not fight an extradition request.
There was no immediate evidence to link the two parcels sent to the Pacific port city of Vancouver to Luka Rocco Magnotta, who is wanted in Canada on charges of killing and dismembering a Chinese student, then posting a video of the crime online.
But Vancouver police investigator Warren Lemcke said local police were in contact with the authorities in Montreal, where police say a foot and a hand are among the body parts still missing after the gruesome murder of Jun Lin (32).
One foot and one hand were received by mail at the headquarters of political parties in Ottawa last week, while Mr Lin's torso was found in an abandoned suitcase in a garbage strewn alley behind Mr Magnotta's Montreal apartment.
"The investigation is only a few hours old so I cannot link it to anything right now," Mr Lemcke said.
A Vancouver police statement said the "human remains" were discovered in separate packages received in the mail at two local schools in the afternoon.
"There is no indication of an identity at this stage in the investigation," the statement said.
Mr Magnotta (29) who has a bizarre internet trail as a gay escort, a bisexual porn star and alleged kitten killer, was arrested in a Berlin Internet cafe on Monday after an international manhunt. He had been reading articles online about the hunt for the killer.
German authorities said yesterday Mr Magnotta had told them he would not fight extradition to Canada, where he faces charges of first-degree murder, indignities to a body, publishing and mailing obscene matter, and harassing Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper and other members of Parliament.
"He made no objections to being extradited to Canada," Martin Steltner, a spokesman for the Berlin city prosecutor, referring to Mr Magnotta's appearance before a judge.
Mr Steltner said the extradition order could be completed in the next few days and Mr Magnotta, born as Eric Clinton Newman in Scarborough, Ontario, could be put on a plane to Canada after German government approval of the order.
Montreal police said the video posted online after Mr Lin's death the video showed the killer eating part of the body. But they gave no details, saying they first had to establish without doubt the footage was of Mr Lin's murder.
"We have to confirm the authenticity of the footage we have. We believe it is (authentic), but now we've got to prove it," Montreal police spokesman Ian Lafreiniere told a news conference.
Police say the video shows a man stabbing his victim repeatedly and then cutting off the arms, legs and head.
"I encourage nobody to watch this video. It is a video that was extremely sordid," Montreal organised crime squad chief Denis Mainville told reporters.
The video was posted on a website that specialises in gory footage, and police are now seeking to get the video removed from the Internet, and to find ways to charge those responsible for maintaining the site.
Mr Lafreiniere said Montreal police were in no hurry to have Mr Magnotta back.
"It's not a rush for us. At least he's detained, he's been stopped. The largest manhunt in the history of the Montreal police is over for us," he said.
Mr Magnotta is believed to have entered France on May 26th, and French police had been investigating thousands of reported sightings. They told German police on Monday that he was headed for Berlin where he was subsequently arrested.
Reuters