Serial killer Bruce McArthur to be sentenced today

As each count carried a mandatory life sentence without parole for 25 years, the only decision before Justice John McMahon has been whether to sentence him concurrently or consecutively.

"It is my hope that he will never again know freedom and that this sentence begins the hard journey of delivering justice to the victims of these crimes, their friends and families, our LGBTQ community, and our entire city", said Tory in a statement regarding the sentencing, adding that the victims should be remembered.

The 67-year-old self-employed landscaper pleaded guilty last week to murdering eight men with ties to Toronto's gay village between 2010 and 2017.

The judge said the law is clear that an early guilty plea is a mitigating factor, and his age of being able to apply for parole is another. Police say more victims may be identified.

"We're presuming that homophobia and racism had something to do with how much energy and effort went into investigating Project Houston", he said, referring to an investigation into three missing men later found to be among McArthur's victims.

The prosecution has argued that 50 years is a measured number and will confirm for the families that they will never have to relive this again through a parole hearing.

But the sentence McArthur ended up receiving Friday, the Associated Press says, was the most lenient option on the table.

Police said that from August 2017, when McArthur was first named as person of interest, to the months after when he was put under surveillance, they worked to ensure he would not kill again. "The ability to decapitate and dismember his victims and do it repeatedly is pure evil".

No doubt McArthur will live out the rest of his days in prison anyway.

Police Chief Mark Saunders said it was highly unlikely McArthur would be granted parole at any time. "This court can not give them what they want the most - which is their loved one back".

The court this week heard victim impact statements from those who knew Esen and others, CTV reported.

Convicted killers Alexandre Bissonnette (left) and Bruce McArthur.

Some of the victims' friends and family members were too overwhelmed by emotion to read their sentencing statements to the judge, and prosecutors took over. "Although there can be no closure from a harm of this magnitude, we hope that these eight convictions for first-degree murder will assist our community in beginning a new chapter of healing".

"[It's] to remember and honour the men who were killed as the wonderful individuals that they were and not simply as murder victims". "Many met or corresponded with Mr McArthur through dating apps", said Cantlon. On his computer, investigators found file folders for his eight victims containing photographs of each of them.

Toronto police said they have no plans to release his mugshot. And while the nightmare he brought upon Toronto's LGBTQ community has finally, officially come to a close, I can't help but call it a shame that any possibility of this man seeing the light of day ever again - however minuscule the possibility - exists.

When police raided the killer's apartment in January 2018, they found a young man bound to a bed but unharmed who may well have become the ninth victim, the judge added.