TORONTO — Former gay porn actor Luka Rocco Magnotta, dubbed the “Canadian Psycho” for dismembering his Chinese lover and eating and mailing the body parts was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
The 32-year-old Canadian had admitted to killing Jun Lin, 33 and videotaping the acts but pleaded not guilty in June 2012 on grounds of mental illness.
Magnotta was also found guilty of desecrating a human body, mailing obscene materials, and criminally harassing Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other members of Canada's parliament.
Magnotta fled to Europe after the killing but was nabbed in a Berlin Internet café.
Jurors reportedly saw surveillance video at the trial that showed Magnotta leading his victim into his Montreal apartment building then carrying out a large square suitcase like the one later found containing Lin's body parts.
“He wanted to be judged by a jury of his peers,” Magnotta’s lawyer Luc Leclair said. “He accepts the verdict. For quite some time he has been preparing for the verdict with his father, some friends and his therapist. He has been focusing on rebuilding his life.”
Magnotta has 30 days to file an appeal. The conviction carries the possibility of parole after 25 years.
