PARIS — There were growing indications on the weekend that the suspect in Montreal’s grisly body parts case had fled to France.
French officials say police are investigating claims by two people who believe they saw Luka Rocco Magnotta.
A French state prosecutor’s office says the reported sighting came in northwest Paris.
Magnotta, 29, is wanted in the slaying of Chinese national Jun Lin, 33, who was a student at Montreal’s Concordia university. Lin’s torso was found in suitcase in a Montreal alley last week, and other body parts, including a hand and foot, were mailed to the offices of political parties in Ottawa.
French media reported Sunday that personal belongings of Magnotta were found in a hotel in suburban Paris.
The reports say police discovered pornographic magazines as well as air sickness bags from the airplane he took to Paris from Montreal.
Le Figaro said 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.
Le Figaro said Magnotta arrived at Roissy airport on May 26 and was later identified on surveillance cameras. Magnotta was apparently put up one night by a man who later contacted authorities after realizing who his guest had been.
One published report said Magnotta was spotted in a bar and in a hotel where he spent two nights.
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.“
Interpol has put Magnotta on the equivalent of its most-wanted list.
An official in the Paris prosecutor’s office, speaking on condition of anonymity because of office policy, says police are looking into the alleged sightings but had no additional details.
Police believe Magnotta fled to France on May 26.