Gay Village Serial Killer ~ The Case of Bruce McArthur Part 1

 

Hi everyone. Today, I am writing about a case that I am somewhat familiar with; especially since it happened in my hometown... good ole Toronto, Ontario CANADA. Its not only that, but the predator was deemed the most prolific serial killer in Toronto, and the oldest (years-wise) KNOWN serial killer in Canada.

I will be splitting this case into different blurbs, first I would like to talk about the man behind these horrific killings; then I would like to discuss the victims, and finally, as per usual, I would like to write about the trial, convictions and the aftermath of the case.

On October 8, 1951, Thomas Douglas Bruce McArthur was born in Lindsay, Ontario; raised on a farm in Argyle, close to the Kawartha Lakes region... a place known by many summer vacationers. Both his parents (his mother was Irish Catholic and his father was Scottish Presbyterian), were present, along with his sister and several troubled youth that his parents agreed to foster. 

His parents often fought about their beliefs and how they were going to raise their children; which caused Bruce to constantly defend his mother. Later he attested the rage from hs father wasn't just from him always taking his mother's side, but because his dad sensed his son was a homosexual and in religion, and society, it was weird and unacceptable, especially back then.

As for his early life, he attended a rather small school, that consisted of one classroom. The one thing he is really remembered for is that he was a teacher's pet, or at least tried to be, when he would constantly tattle tale on his classmates. He was very much a loner. In his early teens he began highschool at Fenelon Falls Secondary School. He met Janice Campbell during these years, dating her as he went onto graduate in "general business" and married Janice when he was 23 years old.

When it came to work, Bruce McArthur was in various companies, including Eaton's, McGregor Socks and Stanfield's. He also uprooted his marriage with him and Janice moving to Oshawa, Ontario. They expanded their family with their daughter, Melanie (1981) and Todd (1986). What seems to be an odd plt twist, Bruce started attending church and got really involved with anything to do with it... Later Bruce explains that he did this to avoid his homosexual feelings.

In the 70s, his life kinda went a little upside down for him and his family; when it was discovered that his dad had a brain tumour; which caused the family to place him into a nursing home as no one could properly care for him at hime. Bruce got enraged with his mother, the woman he always supported, when she revealed she had found love interest in another man. Bruce ended up getting much closer to his father; despite the disagreements and disdain they had for each other in the earlier years. His mother died in 1978, of cancer; his father passed away 3 years later in 1981.

I know that being a closeted gay man is not a reason to kill anybody, but I do understand how he felt so lost in life; struggling with a fraudulent marriage and denying his own instinctual desires. Bruce McArthur finally gave into his yearnings and began having affairs with men in the early 90s; but the surprising part is that he told his wife, Janice about it. Janice and Bruce remained in the marriage despite thie startling revelation.

Before I get into the crimes of Bruce McArthur, I should also note how his homelife began to fall apart, which ultimately had him moving into the Church and Wellesley (Toronto's Gay Village)...

Bruce lost his job, causing him and Janice to be in financial despair; part of this due to their son, Todd's trouble with the law. (It seems the apple didn't fall that far from the tree!!!)

Todd obviously had obsessive behaviour and began making obscene calls to women who were virtual strangers to him. This financial burden on his parents, who helped keep their son out of jail, cost them dearly. Bruce and Janice had to remortgage their house; at the same time, they separated and ultimately went into bankruptcy.

Bruce had moved to Toronto, mainly because there was no place where he could be openly gay in Oshawa; so he would frequent the bars in Gay Village. He was obviously able to maintain relationships because he lived with a man for four years in the Don Mills area of Toronto. Unfortunately, they split up and Bruce went to see a psychiatrist who gave him an antidepressant (Prozac).

It was also this time, he began a new business. He was trying to become a self-employed landscaper.

To be continued....