Skandaraj Navaratnam, known to his friends and family as Skanda, was a vibrant and beloved member of Toronto’s Gay Village community. A 40-year-old man who had come to Canada from Sri Lanka as a refugee to escape civil war and build a better life, he was remembered for his jovial character and for always having a smile. Friends described him as a charming and fun-loving person who loved animals, was almost unbeatable at Scrabble, and would readily chat with strangers to make them feel
included. His brother, Navaseelan, recalled him as the "livewire" of their family, someone who was keen to support his aging parents back home.
In the early morning hours of September 6, 2010, Skanda was last seen leaving Zipperz, a nightclub in the Church and Wellesley area. When days turned into weeks with no word, his friends grew deeply concerned, knowing it was out of character for him, especially since he had just gotten a new dog he was excited about. They organized search parties and put up missing person posters throughout the neighborhood, but their efforts yielded no leads. A friend officially reported him missing about ten days after he was last seen. Skanda’s disappearance marked the beginning of a dark chapter for the city, as he would later be identified as the first of eight men murdered by serial killer Bruce McArthur.
The initial investigation into Skanda's disappearance was part of a Toronto Police Service task force called Project Houston, launched in November 2012. This project examined the disappearances of Skanda and two other middle-aged men of South Asian descent who had vanished from the Gay Village between 2010 and 2012. Despite their efforts, the task force was unable to find evidence of criminal activity and was concluded in April 2014. For years, Skanda's family and friends were left with agonizing uncertainty. His brother later said, "We have been waiting for an answer for 7 years."
The case broke open years later with the creation of a new task force, Project Prism, which was investigating other disappearances. This new investigation led police to Bruce McArthur, a 66-year-old self-employed landscaper who was known in the community and sometimes worked as a mall Santa. It was discovered that Skanda had known his killer for years. He had been in an on-and-off romantic relationship with McArthur since the early 2000s and had also worked for his landscaping business. A friend recalled Skanda once confessing that he was afraid of McArthur due to his violent temper.
In February 2018, the search for answers came to a devastating end. Investigators found Skanda’s dismembered remains in a large planter at a midtown Toronto home where McArthur had worked and stored his tools. His body was identified through dental records. The discovery was part of one of the largest forensic investigations in Toronto's history, which ultimately uncovered the remains of seven of McArthur's victims hidden in planters and a compost pile on the same property.
Bruce McArthur was arrested in January 2018 and eventually charged with eight counts of first-degree murder, including that of Skandaraj Navaratnam. He pleaded guilty to all eight charges on January 29, 2019. The court learned that McArthur used ligature strangulation to murder his victims. For his crimes, he was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years.
The resolution of the case brought a painful closure to Skanda's loved ones. His friend Jean-Guy Cloutier, who had reported him missing, expressed his relief at finally knowing what happened after eight years of unanswered questions. In a victim impact statement, Cloutier wrote, "Having someone that I loved dearly killed is another level of loss and life-changing." Another friend, Kevin Nash, remembered Skanda as a "great-hearted person" with a "charismatic attitude [who] loved to laugh." His brother Navaseelan spoke for the family, stating simply, "we miss him dearly."
