Episode
Ep 85 - Bruce McArthur, The Killer Mall Santa
- Published
- Dec 27, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 3525
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Summary
Hey Spooky Squad! Sorry for the delay. We are running on USPS time this holiday season. Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re heading to Toronto to uncover the chilling story of Bruce McArthur—an unassuming mall Santa, landscaper, and serial killer who hid in plain sight for years. Between 2010 and 2017, men from Toronto’s LGBTQ+ community began disappearing, many of them last seen in the city’s Gay Village. Despite mounting concerns, their disappearances were repeatedly dismissed—until a shocking arrest exposed a predator who had been trusted around children, neighbors, and clients alike. As investigators dug deeper, they uncovered a pattern of violence, neglect, and systemic failure that allowed McArthur to continue killing unchecked. How did so many warning signs go ignored? And what does this case reveal about whose lives are prioritized—and whose are overlooked? In this episode, we examine the victims, the investigation, and the institutional blind spots that helped a killer remain invisible for far too long. Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all! Case Notes: The Roost Cafe: https://www.theroostreno.com/ https://www.bbc.com/bbcthree/article/01086f21-e102-4de0-8e4b-567a13c66c5c https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47125443 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16587970/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/scream-and-sugar-true-crime-coffee-hour--6015946/support . This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised. PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.