Now that accused Canadian cannibal Luka Rocca Magnotta is in custody, and body parts of his alleged victim have turned up at several locations, new questions about whether Magnotta could be a suspect in similar crimes have emerged.
In January, body parts were found strewn near the iconic Hollywood sign in California. With no suspect for that crime, even though it happened nearly 3,000 miles from where Magnotta is accused of dismembering a 33-year-old college student, some news organizations have speculated that the cases are connected.
But retired FBI agent Harold Copus laughed off this supposed connection. "There is also a possibility that martians could be responsible," he told the Huffington Post.
He said he is not trying to make light of the situation, but indicated that the reports are overreaching.
On May 29, 33-year-old Jun Lin's torso was found in a suitcase near Magnotta's apartment. Later that morning, authorities were called to the headquarters of the Conservative Party of Canada to investigate a suspicious package. Inside, they found Jun's severed foot. Another body part -- Jun's severed hand -- was found that night inside a package at the Ottawa Postal Terminal. The package had been addressed to the Liberal Party of Canada.
Other body parts belonging to Jun were found at the apartment building, and his right hand and foot were found earlier this week at two Vancouver schools.
A head and appendages were found in the Hollywood Hills by two dog walkers in mid-January. The victim has since been identified as 66-year-old Hervey Medellin, a local resident who often hiked the area.
Contacted by HuffPost today, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department said the agency reached out to police in Montreal, but said it was only to “determine a timeline,” which is standard procedure.
According to Copus, it is far too soon to intertwine the two cases.
"Every law enforcement agency that has a similar case is going to see if there is any possibility that this guy could be responsible for it. That is normal and law enforcement has a duty to do that," said Copus, now head of Copus Security Consultants in Atlanta. "Nothing more should be read into any of it at this point."
View photos of Luka Magnotta: (Story continues below.)
The Luka Rocco Magnotta Case
Instead, Copus said the concern at this point should be about copycats.
"Whenever something like this happens, there is always the possibility that it could inspire other troubled individuals to act out in a similar manner. They might also try to outdo the person who inspired them – and take it a step further."