As McArthur pleads guilty, victim's friend says 'everyone' bears responsibility for his murder

Krishna Kumar Kanagaratnam arrived in Canada in Aug. 2010, along with 491 other Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers, on board the MV Sun Sea — a creaking cargo ship packed to the gills with people fleeing Sri Lanka's bloody civil war.

Then, at some point in 2015, Krishna Kumar Kanagaratnam was murdered by Toronto serial killer Bruce McArthur.

McArthur pleaded guilty Tuesday to eight counts of first-degree murder. The eight men's deaths took place between 2010 and 2017.

Most of McArthur's victims were recent immigrants or refugees, like Kanagaratnam. Community activist Haran Vijayanathan, told Day 6 host Brent Bambury that he believes that's why police didn't act sooner.

"If it was a white person from Rosedale it would have been resolved really, really quickly. I mean when you look at Andrew [Kinsman], within a year of him going missing, he was found and a person was brought to justice."

Police investigated the murders early on — interviewing McArthur twice and then releasing him — but it took the disappearance of Andrew Kinsman, a white, high profile, well-liked figure in the gay village, for the investigation to gain traction.

"We think racism and homophobia, and then later on classism, actually plays a role in the way missing people are investigated," added Vijayanathan.

Vijayanathan says that the fact that most of these men were immigrants or refugees also may have made them more vulnerable, and as a result more susceptible to being targeted by McArthur.

Krishna Kumar Kanagaratnam is a tragic example of that. Two years before being murdered by McArthur his refugee claim to remain in Canada was rejected — and he went into hiding.

Piranavan Thangavel knew Krishna Kumar Kanagaratnam. They met on board the MV Sun Sea in 2010, and the two remained friends after they arrived in Canada. Thangavel spoke with Day 6 host Brent Bambury about his friend.

Here's part of that interview:

You and Krishna first met and became friends onboard the MV Sun Sea. Why did you leave Sri Lanka, why were you compelled to come here as refugees?

Because [in] 2009 we have the terrible war in Sri Lanka. So [at] that time the Sri Lankan government bombed and killed their own citizens.

I don't have any choice to live there, because I [was] born and grew up in the Tamil Tigers controlled-area. So when I moved [to] the government area, then they suspect I'm a Tamil Tiger.

Were you and Krishna facing the same kinds of risks if you stayed in Sri Lanka?

Yeah. We have all faced the same situation because as a Tamil person they suspect links with the Tamil Tigers [and] they arrest right away.

We only came here to save our lives, that is why we came here.

So what do you think would have happened to you if you'd stayed in Sri Lanka?

I can't imagine maybe I'm dead. Or maybe my name is on the missing [persons] list. Anything could happen to my life.

So when you arrived in Canada you were seeking refugee status. You were detained and then you were denied. So what happened?

When we entered the Canada in 2010, August 13th, 492 people in that ship, we can't describe our joy.

Everyone [was] happy because we are in Canada. But [at] that time, the previous government — they are not ready to welcome us with open arms.

So because you were denied, your situation was uncertain. You did appeal, and on your appeal, you were accepted. What happened to Krishna?

They just reject, that happened to Kumar. I don't know why that's happened to him. But me and Kumar — the same situation, but I don't know why they reject his appeal.

The last time that you saw him 2013 at a bus stop in Toronto. What was your conversation, what did he tell you?

So I will ask him: Kumar, you're refugee case accept? He got angry, he said no they reject my case, they reject my appeal. I don't know what I'm do.

What did that mean for him, what what kind of a life did he have to live if he wanted to remain in Canada?

He had to hide himself. That's what he did. 

You met Krishna's family at the funeral in November. What do they say about Canada now?

You know, one brother he lost in the war, one brother is in France. Same scenario [and] situation. He applied for refugee [status] ... he got the PR (permanent residency) and everything.

So he came to his funeral [and] he just saying there: "Canada killed my brother." That's what he said.

So you and Krishna Kumar came to Canada in the very same circumstances, very similar circumstances. He's dead and you're alive. What do you think of Canada now?

I'm alive. And this year they accept my case. But Krishna Kumar is dead. It's really unfortunately, and I think we, everyone, has responsible for that death.

This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. To hear the full interviews with Piranavan Thangavel and Haran Vijayanathan, download our podcast or click 'listen' at the top of this page.