Luka Magnotta won’t fight extradition

Accused murderer Luka Magnotta won’t fight extradition to Canada after his arrest in Berlin on Monday that ended a near weeklong international manhunt.

The 29-year-old Toronto-born suspect is facing several charges, including first-degree murder, in the murder and dismemberment of Jun Lin, a 33-year-old Chinese Concordia University student who was reported missing in Montreal on May 28.

Warning: Graphic content may disturb some readers

Authorities allege Magnotta filmed the slaying and posted it online. Montreal police also claim the suspect appears to be eating the victim’s flesh in that footage.

“As gross and as graphic it could be, yes, it was seen on the video,” Montreal police commander Ian Lafreniere said.

Magnotta was arrested in an Internet café Monday afternoon after an employee recognized him and flagged down police.

Magnotta spent his first night in custody alone in a 1.5-metre-by-five-metre cell at Berlin police headquarters, said a city police spokesman.

Magnotta, dubbed “Canadian Psycho” by some foreign media, had a wooden bed with a mattress, a window overlooking a yard and a small table for meals, said Chief-Supt. Stefan Redlich.

His dinner Monday consisted of bread and cheese and his breakfast Tuesday was toast with jam and a cup of tea.

“It’s not a comfortable hotel room,” said Redlich, adding that Magnotta’s cell did have a bell to contact the guards.

He said Magnotta rang the bell once to ask if someone would light his cigarette. The guards were willing to oblige the detainee.

“He was otherwise very calm and quiet, so it was a night without any situations, any disturbances,” Redlich said.

He could not immediately say whether Magnotta had been in touch with family or friends after his arrest.

Magnotta was appointed a German lawyer and, following his hearing, was taken to a prison in central Berlin where he will likely stay until his extradition.

“(Magnotta) did not say anything about the case itself, but (when) asked about whether he would object to go back to Canada, he said no he wouldn’t,” Berlin police spokesman Stefan Redlich told The Canadian Press.

When asked how long the extradition process could take, Lafreniere said, “it’s no rush for us,” now that the largest manhunt in the force’s history has come to an end.

Montreal police said Magnotta fled Montreal on May 26 on a flight to Paris. He then travelled to Berlin from Paris by bus.

While Magnotta is locked up in a German prison, investigators in Montreal continue to try and track down Lin’s missing body parts — his head, a hand and foot. Police allege Magnotta sent Lin’s other foot and hand through the mail to political parties in Ottawa last Tuesday. The foot arrived at Conservative headquarters on May 29 and authorities intercepted Lin’s hand at a Canada Post facility later the same day. It was bound for the Liberal party’s offices.

Lin’s torso was found stuffed in a suitcase behind Magnotta’s Montreal apartment, also on May 29. Test results confirmed the link between the three body parts on Tuesday. Police don’t believe the missing body parts were mailed out, but are working with postal agencies to be sure.

Investigators are still trying to figure out the relationship between Magnotta and his alleged victim.

Lafreniere confirmed his force has been in contract with other agencies regarding possible cold cases in other jurisdictions.

And now that Magnotta has been caught, Montreal investigators say they will now look into other allegations that have resurfaced during the investigation, including online claims Magnotta once dated Karla Homolka and kitten-killing videos.

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