Alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur's trial could begin in September 2019, says judge

An Ontario Superior Court judge anticipates the trial for alleged Toronto serial killer Bruce McArthurcould take place as early as September 2019.

McArthur, 67, appeared in court Monday. He is charged with eight counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of eight men between 2010 and 2017, many of whom had ties to the city's Gay Village.

The judge said McArthur'strial could start next September or by January 2020 at the latest. McArthur previously waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

It's still unclear when McArthur will have a chance to enter a plea. That normally happens at the outset of a trial.

McArthurwas arrested in January after a months-long police investigation of two missing persons cases led officers to suspect he hadplayed a role in the disappearances.

Multiple searches of a midtown Toronto propertywhere McArthurhad worked as a landscaper eventually turned up the remains of seven different men in garden planters, while remains of an eighth man were discovered in a forested ravine that borders the yard.

McArthur is currently being held in pre-trial detention at the Toronto South Detention Centre in Etobicoke.

Late last month, McArthur appeared in court, in person, for the first time. Until then, he had only participated in hearings via video link.

During that hearing on Oct. 22, he waived his right to a preliminary hearing.McArthurdidn't make eye contact with family members of his alleged victims, who had packed into the College Park courthouse.

While investigators have said they do not believe there are any more victims, the case against McArthurconstitutesthe largest forensic probe in the history of the Toronto Police Service.

Last week, several funerals took place for McArthur'salleged victims after police revealed thatsome of their remainshad beenreleased to their respective families.

McArthurwill appear inthe University Avenue courthouse for a judicial pre-trial on Nov. 30.