British tabloid warned police of murder suspect

A British tabloid said Friday it had a frightening encounter with a man they believe is now the suspect in a gruesome Montreal murder, who warned the newspaper of escalating violence.

Luka Rocco Magnotta is the subject of an international manhunt after pieces of a body were mailed to political offices in Ottawa and found in the garbage behind his Montreal apartment building.
Police have said there is a connection between the body parts case and a video that appeared on the Internet, purportedly showing a young man being stabbed and dismembered.

Magnotta has an extensive and bizarre online footprint that includes links to videos depicting the torture and killing of kittens and blog entries including two posted under the headlines "Cyber stalking," and "Media propaganda."


On Friday, U.K. tabloid The Sun reported they had questioned a man they believe to be Magnotta six months ago, as part of an investigation into the kitten-killing videos.
In one video, the kitten was fed to a snake. In another, the animal was suffocated inside a plastic bag


The newspaper was told in December that Magnotta was responsible for the footage, only to have the man turn up at the newspaper offices to complain of harassment.

The newspaper reported on Friday that a man they believed to be Magnotta later wrote them an email warning that he would kill again.

"Well, I have to say goodbye for now, but don't worry, in the near future you will be hearing from me again. This time, however, the victims won't be small animals," the December email wrote, in part.

"I will, however, send you a copy of the new video im (sic) going to be making…. One you kill, and taste blood, its (sic) impossible to stop."

The email was posted from the name John Kilbride, but Sun reporter Alex West said he was convinced it was from Magnotta.

The Sun reported that their documents were sent to Scotland Yard, but that an investigation did not take place due to jurisdictional issues surrounding the video.

Magnotta is also known as Vladimir Romanov and has changed his name from Eric Clinton.

Magnotta's audition
The latest developments come the day after video emerged of Magnotta auditioning for a gay-themed reality television show on OutTV five years ago.

In the video of Magnotta's audition for Cover Guy, obtained Thursday by CTV, Magnotta appears at times confident, at times nervous and unsure of himself.

The show, which is no longer on the air, ran on the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender specialty television channel OutTV. Producers were seeking the ultimate male underwear model and, in 2007, Luka Rocco Magnotta thought he had what it took.

"A lot of people tell me I'm really devastatingly good looking," Magnotta tells a panel of show judges as he unbuttons his black shirt, takes it off, and slings it over his shoulder.

Magnotta stands naked from the waist up as he answers questions from the judges, talking to them about how he used to be overweight, until he took up running every morning.