'Canadian psycho' Luka Rocco Magnotta seen in France
By Benjamin Shingler The Canadian Press
Mon., June 4, 2012timer3 min. read
MONTREAL—The so-called "Canadian psycho" stayed one step ahead of police in France over the weekend after being spotted at a bar in the company of another man and may have even been photographed going through security at the airport.
But Montreal police say not to worry because they say 29-year-old Luka Rocco Magnotta's lust for attention will be his downfall sooner or later.
The subject of an international manhunt for the gruesome killing and dismemberment of a student in Montreal, the self-described porn star was tracked in France by police using his cellphone as a beacon. They even managed to find a hotel room where he had been staying.
"The man was seen in France, that's what French authorities told us," police spokesman Ian Lafreniere told reporters. Lafreniere cautioned that Magnotta may no longer be in that country, and wouldn't rule out the possibility he had headed elsewhere in Europe or could eventually try to return to Canada.
MORE: Friends of murder victim Justin Lin in denial
"He can travel, he's someone who has been known to travel, so we're not taking any chances and we want to keep an open mind," Lafreniere said. "We've received more than 360 tips, it's huge, people really want to help."
Magnotta, dubbed the Canadian psycho in the European press, is wanted in the gruesome slaying of Lin, 33, a Chinese student at Montreal's Concordia University. Lin's torso was found in a suitcase left for garbage collection outside Magnotta's Montreal apartment last week. Other severed body parts, including a hand and a foot, were mailed to the offices of the federal Conservatives and Liberals.
Police believe Lin was killed and his body dismembered either on May 24 or 25 in a Montreal apartment. A 10-minute video showing what transpired was then posted online.
French media reported Sunday that personal belongings of the porn actor were found in a hotel in suburban Paris. The reports said police discovered pornographic magazines as well as air-sickness bags from the airplane he took to Paris from Montreal.
Le Figaro reported that police were able to pinpoint part of Magnotta's itinerary through his cellphone activity. It was unclear whether Magnotta was still in the Paris area on Sunday, but Le Figaro reported that authorities had beefed up their presence at railway stations and airports.
MORE:Luka Magnotta auditions for a reality show
Having earlier indicated that Magnotta is good at disguising himself, Lafreniere said Saturday that the suspect could now be anywhere in Europe, though authorities haven't ruled out the possibility he may be back in Canada.
Police described Magnotta as being 5 feet, 8 inches tall and about 135 pounds, with black hair and blue eyes.
Interpol has issued an international alert out for Magnotta, 29, who was born Eric Clinton Newman and has also used the name Vladimir Romanov. Pictures posted Sunday on Magnotta's page on the Interpol website show a man with dark hair and a black Mickey Mouse shirt passing through airport security. The airport wasn't identified.
Magnotta arrived at the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on May 26 and was later identified on surveillance cameras, according to Le Figaro. He was apparently put up for one night by a man who later contacted authorities after realizing who his guest had been.
MORE:Luka Magnotta: Toronto police admit they "could have done more" when U.S. lawyer flagged disturbing video
One published report said Magnotta was spotted in a bar and in a hotel where he spent two nights. Another French newspaper, Le Parisien, quoted the manager of a bar who said Magnotta ordered a soft drink at his establishment last Wednesday night and appeared "very nervous."
The bar manager said the fugitive left with a man who had an "impressive physique."
An official in the Paris prosecutor's office, speaking on condition of anonymity, said police are looking into the alleged sightings but had no additional details.
Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Ottawa has issued a statement advising Chinese visitors to Canada to take safety precautions.
MORE:Who is Luka Rocco Magnotta?
With files from The Associated Press and Michel Dolbec
Luka Rocco Magnotta, France