Homicide

Convicted serial killer Lonnie Franklin Jr., also known as the “Grim Sleeper”, was found dead in his prison cell, as reported by NBC News.Franklin, 67, was found unresponsive in his cell in California’s San Quentin State Prison and pronounced dead at 7:43 p.m. Saturday. The state’s corrections department said the cause of death wasn’t immediately clear and there were no signs of trauma. (National Post)

VANCOUVER - United Nations gang hitman Cory Vallee was handed two life sentences Friday for conspiracy to kill rivals in the Red Scorpion gang, as well as the deadly shooting of Kevin LeClair in a Langley parking lot almost a decade ago. (Vancouver Sun)

German investigators have revealed that a popular regional political leader found dead in his garden was killed by a bullet fired at close range. They have launched a criminal inquiry into the death of Walter Lübcke, the 65-year-old head of the regional council in the city of Kassel. (BBC)

A 29-year-old already charged in a murder is now accused in the brazen takeout last November of reputed Mob enforcer Antonio “Scratch” Fiorda at an Etobicoke strip mall. (Toronto Sun)

CALGARY - Two youths have been charged with murder of man whose body was found on the outskirts of the city. (Calgary Sun)

TORONTO - A dead body in a steam bath on New Year’s Day, a man claiming to be a cannibal, officers sneaking into a house and cloning computer hard drives and a GPS tracker secretly hidden by detectives on a suspect’s vehicle are among the tantalizing — but ultimately fruitless — early leads Toronto police chased in the years before Bruce McArthur was charged with killing eight men linked to the city’s gay village. (National Post)

SALEM - A married Oregon man faces murder charges after his mistress and their son vanished two weeks ago without a trace, officials said. (New York Post)

ABBOTSFORD - The man murdered last night in Abbotsford is the brother of a gang leader who was killed in North Vancouver in December. (Abbotsford News)

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Targeted hit in Abbotsford leaves one man dead

PICKERING - A male victim has been pronounced dead after an early morning shooting outside a busy recreation centre in Pickering Sunday. Durham Regional Police were called to the Pickering Recreation Complex at 1867 Valley Farm Road at around 6:30 a.m. for reports of shots being fired.(CTV)

MONTREAL - A man in his 30s died early Wednesday after being shot Tuesday night in a restaurant in Montreal’s Little Italy district. (Montreal Gazette)