Police scour properties connected with accused killer of 2 Toronto men

Police have been searching several properties throughout the Greater Toronto Area connected to Bruce McArthur, a Toronto man accused of first-degree murder in the cases of two men who vanished from the city's Gay Village last spring.

McArthur, 66, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the disappearances of Andrew Kinsman and Selim Esen, whom police now believe are dead.

Police believeMcArthuris responsible for the deaths of othervictims, and are searching a total of five properties with connections to the accused four in Toronto and one in the small community ofMadoc, Ont.

On Saturday, forensic units could be seenscouringthe two-car garage of a home on Mallory Crescent in the area ofBayviewand Moore avenues. Police removed several plastic crates and bins, along with a grey suitcase. A hacksaw was also removed.

On Friday,police forensics vehicles, a canine unit and at least three detectivessearched athree-bedroom home in Scarborough in connection with the ongoing homicide investigation.

The house located at 227ConlinsRd., near Highway 401 andMorningsideAvenue, hasbeen owned by Patricia and BrendanHoransince 2004. The couplealso own a property police have been searching inMadoc, Ont., a townshipabout 220-kilometres east of Toronto.

WhileMcArthurlivesin a high-rise apartment in Toronto'sThorncliffeneighbourhood and doesn't own the properties, several neighbours at both toldCBCNews he is a longtime friend of BrendanHoran'sbrother, Roger, and both worked as landscape gardeners.

MadelonGardea, who lives nearby,explained thenews of the probe hit too close to home. She toldCBCNews she was in"shock and disbelief" that McArthur, who she describes as "personable and genuine" is accused of murdering two of Toronto's missing gay men.

"It's a little disturbing thing because you think you're a good judge of character, but when you find out something like that you question," she said.

Several neighbours explainedMcArthurand Roger frequented the two residences together.

YusufBulbulia, who also lives near the Scarborough home, said his roommate saw Roger there as recently as Thursday.

"He's been very quiet,"BulbuliatoldCBCToronto, adding the house was under renovations for most of the summer.

Real estate listings revealtheHoran familysold the home last month, but the new owners have yet to take possession. The property is estimated to be worth more than $1-million.

Meanwhile in the two days since McArthur was arrested, neighbours at Bredan Horan's rural home in Madoc, located at 2598 Cooper Rd., said there has been a flurry of police activity at thenine-acre property.

"Just to think about it, I get shivers," said Joanne Irvine who lives two doors down.

"I just hope they find something here to bring some closure to the families."