Luka's Lifestory

Don and Anna Newman and baby Eric Newman

Eric Clinton Kirk Newman was born on 24th July 1982 in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada to teen parents Donald Newman and Anna Yourkin.

He has two younger siblings, a brother Conrad Shane Newman and sister Melissa Newman, as well as two younger half-siblings by his mother's second partner. 

The early years of the Newman's marriage appears to have been relatively happy and, after initially living with Donald Newman's parents, the couple purchased a house for the family in Bethany, Ontario.  Donald Newman worked in the warehouse of Lever Bros factory in downtown Toronto, whilst Anna Yourkin home-schooled the three Newman siblings for 5 or 6 years.  

Donald Newman is on record as describing the home-schooling as "terrible" for Eric and his siblings, because their "germaphobe" mother kept the children socially isolated with no friends their own age and they received little in the way of education.   He says none of the Newman children liked being home-schooled and the boys, in particular, were mixed up by it.

  

Events took a turn for the worse when the Newman family lost their home due to credit card debts, claimed by Mr. Newman to have been run up by Anna Yourkin's spending on toys and trips to see her mother, and the family had to move back in with Donald Newman's parents. At least the Newman children finally got to go to school.

From Grade 6, Eric, attended Charlottetown Junior School in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, where classmates who remember him say they used to laugh at the constant stream of tall tales he told, embellishing his life to cover up difficult home circumstances.

During 1994 the Newman's marriage broke down and the couple divorced.  The children remained with their mother and her new partner Leo, with whom she had a further two children.  Donald Newman claims Leo was cruel and abusive to Eric and called him a "faggot". Donald Newman also says his ex-wife's domineering mother, Phyliss Yourkin, wanted custody of the three Newman children.

It has been widely reported that around this time Eric went to live with their maternal grandmother, Phyllis Yourkin in Lindsay, Ontario.  The children's father, Donald Newman, claims that Phyllis Yourkin was abusive to the Newman children, particularly towards Eric and Conrad.

Eric Newman, Aged 11

One of Eric's maternal aunts has described Phyllis Yourkin as: “the typical matriach of the family...she is very domineering, controlling and if you have a submissive personality she will beat you up and do what she wants”.  The aunt also claimed that Eric, as the eldest of the three Newman children, bore the brunt of his grandmother's beatings.

Eric Newman attended I. E. Weldon Secondary School during Grades 10 & 11.  His classmates at I.E. Weldon recall Eric Newman as a kid who constantly switched his hair colour from jet-black to peroxide blond.

A clear picture has emerged from Luka's early homelife that he grew up in a highly dysfunctional family unit - with an over-protective OCD? mother, ineffectual father and a domineering, abusive maternal grandmother - which undoubtedly influenced his personality profile and psychological development during his formative years.

April 2001 - Aged 18 LM was seen several times by community workers in a crisis centre at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay, Ontario. He had gone in complaining of a sore throat but said he heard voices. He was referred to a psychiatrist, who said: “I am not sure what we're dealing with. Bizarre, interesting presentation”. Psychiatrist wondered if there were secondary gains LM was looking for.   Health workers noted that they suspected LM might be faking.

26th August 2001 - LM  arrives at emergency at Ross Memorial Hospital, because he is out of medication.  The medical file notes personality disorder.  LM is prescribed medication.

27th August 2001 - Luka Magnotta returns to emergency at Ross Memorial Hospital, having taken the entire bottle of his prescribed medication. Diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia is noted in his medical file.

Luka Magnotta makes an application for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), citing textbook symptoms of schizophrenia, and receives an award $1,000 per month in welfare payments.

2001 - Luka Magnotta lives at Harrison House, Lindsay, Ontario, a supported housing project Group Home young for people with mental health issues.  He feels isolated in group home.

Nina Arsenault

2002 - 20-year-old Eric Clinton Kirk Newman (LM) moves to Toronto where he meets transexual Nina Arsenault at a Toronto nightclub, Remington's - whilst working as a stripper by the stage name "Angel" and calling himself "Luka" or "Rocco". Nina Arsenault claims she and LM dated briefly before she ended the relationship with him. 

In recent interviews she describes Luka as a “manipulative pathological liar", claiming he had volatile unstable mood and would punch himself in the face in the shower and quotes him as saying: “I'm afraid that when you look into my eyes...that you will see nothing inside of me”.    Daily Mail story     Citytv report
N.B. In an article on QueerPlanet, a spokesperson for Remington's said they had no recollection that Luka Magnotta worked there.

During 2002-2003, Eric/Luka/Rocco, now going by the pseudonym of 'Jimmy', branches out from stripping to embark on a modelling career and works as a male escort offering his services to a male clientèle; describing himself as being either bisexual or heterosexual and strictly 'gay for pay'.

Believed to be Luka and his father

2003 - Luka's father, Donald Newman, refers Luka to his own psychiatrist, because he notices Luka "had problems". Donald Newman's medical records dated 7th March 2003, show that Mr. Newman, who is diagnosed with schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, was concerned for his son's mental health because he believed Luka was hearing voices at the time.  According to his father, Luka also spent a period of time as patient in a psychiatric ward.

28th February - 25th March 2003 - Luka Magnotta is a patient of psychiatrist, Dr. Sooriabalan.  He sees Dr. Sooriabalan regularly between 28th February 2003 - 3rd October 2008.  LM tells Dr. Sooriabalan on first appointment that he thought the police were after him.  Luka Magnotta admits himself to hospital wanting to kill himself.

6th April 2003 - Luka Magnotta is again living in Harrision House, Lindsay, Ontario, when he is admitted to Rouge Valley Health Centenary Centre.  He is discharged the following day with a follow-up appointment.  Whilst living at Harrison House, Luka Magnotta thought people were jealous of him and wanted him out of home, and tells Dr. Sooriabalan: “I am going to be a celebrity, a superstar.”

2003 - During 2003 Luka Magnotta had several consultations with his family doctor, Dr. Allan Tan, concerned about weight loss and erectile difficulties.  Dr. Tan undertakes tests, including STD screening and prescribes medication to help with erectile problems and gives Luka dietary advice.  Dr. Tan was Luka's family doctor for 6 years between October 2003 through to May 2009.

Street Bait 996: Luka

2003 - now calling himself Luka, the 20-year-old Eric Newman features in his first gay pornographic video, Street Bait 996:Luka.

30th October 2003 - Luka Magnotta sees Dr Tan about his ongoing weight loss and erectile problems. Afterwards he sees an intake nurse who notes from his medical file that Luka Magnotta has bipolar disorder and a mild form of schizophrenia.  He is being treated with Vallium and anti-psychotics and had three hospitalizations because of mania.

6th January 2004 - Luka Magnotta moves from Lindsay, Ontario, to Toronto, living with a Greek family.

2004 - Luka Magnotta continues with his modelling and escorting career and appears in a second gay pornographic film called Son of Posedon.  

3rd August 2004 - Luka Magnotta attends North York General Hospital, Toronto, complaining of stress and hearing voices. The hospital conducts a CT scan which was negative.

19th August 2004 - Luka Magnotta tells his psychiatrist, Dr. Sooriabalan, that he has started going to Church of Scientology and has moved in with a Jamaican Family.
 
September 2004 - Luka Magnotta is hospitalized for a week and a half suffering with depression.

2004 - The year doesn't end quite so well for Luka when he is charged in connection with a $16,900 fraud. 

27th January 2005 - Luka appears in Issue 260 of Fab Boy gay scene magazine calling himself 'Jimmy' a "22-year-old soccer fan born in Russia...who hopes to train to become a police officer". 

2005 - Luka makes a further three gay pornographic films, His First Huge Cock: Luka, His First Huge Cock: Jimmy and a solo J/O video BadPuppy.com:Luka with accompanying photoset.

1st March 2005 - Luka Magnotta sees his doctor, Dr. Allan Tan, telling Dr. Tan, who is supervising medical students, that people are trying to ruin his career by taking pictures of him and posting them online.  He also complains of hearing voices and paranoia, believing people are following him.  Dr. Tan records in his medical notes that Luka's speech is odd, fast and delusional, but that he was not suicidal.

April-May 2005 - Luka Magnotta is living his with dad and step-mother in Scarborough, Ontario.  He again sees Dr. Tan, complaining that people are watching him with binoculars.  Dr. Tan's assessment is that Luka has schizophrenia. However, in his testimony at the Trial, Dr. Tan, clarified that he predominately treated Luka Magnotta's physical ailments and not his mental health, except when Luka presented in a crisis.

Creative edit by (c) Anne de Haas

(c) Anne de Hass.

2005 - Flickr -  Luka Magnotta poses for a paid photoshoot with Toronto Photographer Anne de Haas telling her that he needed actor headshots. 

She did a creative edit of one of the shots with flames coming out of Luka's head. Somewhat prophetic don't you think?

30th May 2005 - After receiving a letter from Luka Magnotta's mother, Anna Yourkin, concerned for her son's mental health regarding the upcoming Fraud Trial, psychiatrist Dr. Sooriabalan, writes to Luka Magnotta's Defence lawyer, Peter Scully, stating that Luka Magnotta suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. He tells Mr. Scully that Luka Magnotta had been hospitalized twice in 2003, after he missed medication because he didn't come to outpatients appointments.

June 2005 - Luka Magnotta was convicted on three counts of fraud (against Sears Canada, The Brick, and 2001 Audio Video) after coercing a vulnerable 21-year-old woman to purchase $16,900 of goods for him and fraudulently obtaining a credit card in her name.

His co-accused and neighbourhood associate, Antonio Minakakis (known as Tony), had all charges against him dropped, similarly an accusation of sexual assault of a female against Luka was dropped. 

Luka spent 16 days in custody during pre-trial and received a nine-month conditional sentence with 12 months of probation on the condition he adheres to a treatment program for undisclosed mental health issues. 

During the Trial proceedings LM's lawyer Peter B. Scully wrote to Toronto Police expressing his concerns that his client might be in danger of violent reprisals from the victim's irate father who was a powerful man in the Greek community. I have also written a recent blog about the Fraud trial or you can read the full story in The Globe and Mail.

June 2005 - It was disclosed during the Trial proceedings that Luka Magnotta had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

20th July 2005 - Luka Magnotta asks his doctor, Dr. Tan, for a referral to a new psychiatrist because he wishes to switch from his father's psychiatrist.  Dr. Tan notes during 2005-06 that Luka is moving from place to place.

January 2006 - Luka Magnotta is introduced to transgirl Barbie Swallows by his flatmate Nader Eid.  After what she described as a whirlwind romance Barbie says she moved into Luka's new apartment.  The full kiss-and-tell story about their "dark romance" is in the Daily Mail

2006 - Luka makes a comeback by featuring in another gay pornographic film, Adorable. 

17th July 2006 -  Eric Clinton Kirk Newman legally changes his name to become known as Luka Rocco Magnotta. 

13th September 2006 - Luka Magnotta sees his family doctor, Dr. Tan, and has stitches removed from a hair transplant.  He again complains of erectile dysfunction and is prescribed Viagra.  Luka tells Dr. Tan that he changed his name because he was being followed.

18th January 2007 - Luka Magnotta tells his psychiatrist, Dr. Sooriabalan, that he has started modelling. In May 2007, he tells Dr. Sooriabalan that police were investigating him, people didn't like him, receiving calls from USA.

Luka Fab Boy

2007 - Luka Magnotta appears in Issue 320 of Fab Boy gay scene magazine.  “You can’t enjoy yourself in porn videos, there are too many people around!”  Luka also states that he is seeking a loyal man who will take him for a long drive, “and have sex while doing so.” 

March 2007 - 24-year-old Luka Rocco Magnotta files for bankruptcy in Mississauga, Ontario, with a list of debts at around $17,000.   He cites "illness, lack of employment and insufficient income to pay off debts" as reasons for his bankruptcy, with $200 monthly expenditure on medication for an unspecified medical condition.  Read the story here on Ottawa Citizen.

2007 - Luka Magnotta makes a breakthrough into the world of reality television shows, firstly giving an interview with Naked News.  Calling himself 'Jimmy', Luka gives a lengthy interview about his life as a 'high class' escort and stripper.

 

Then, after apparently having plastic surgery to look more like his idol James Dean, he auditions for Cover Guy hoping to win the prize of further plastic surgery but is not put through to the next round as judges feel he is too skinny.   Luka nonetheless relishes the opportunity to talk on camera about his favourite subject: himself!  It is worth noting one of the Judges was Nina Arsenault, Luka's ex-lover!  The audition interview is below.

 

21st August 2007 – Luka Magnotta tells his psychiatrist, Dr. Sooriabalan, that people are spreading rumours about him that he was dating serial killer Karla Homolka.  He was having trouble sleeping.

Luka Magnotta at the offices of Toronto Sun

September 2007 - Toronto Sun - After appearing on a radio phone-in show on Toronto's AM640, LM gives an interview to Joe Warmington of the Toronto Sun to deny "rumours" he was dating notorious serial-killer Karla Homolka. It is widely speculated that LM himself was the source of many of these internet rumours.

December 2007 - The bankruptcy against Luka Magnotta is fully discharged

2008 - Into the New Year and Luka Magnotta's online activities start to take on an increasingly dark and twisted edge.  

Throughout 2008 he sets up multiple accounts on YouTube to wage war against the Family Guy tv show as he tries to get it banned, earning him considerable derision and a legion of haters on YouTube.  He also posts several disturbing blogs about incestuous relationships.

27th January 2008 – Wikipedia – A Wikipedia shell page created in July 2007 by Luka Magnotta about himself is deleted after lengthy discussion by Wiki contributors and Admins concluded that LM was a non-notable model/porn actor. See Timeline

February 2008 - Luka Magnotta auditions for another reality television show 'Plastic Makes Perfect' hoping to win more plastic surgery.  Again he is unsuccessful. Below is the 20 minute audition tape, which psychologists recently have cited as revealing insights into Luka's masochist tendencies and possible body dismorphic disorder.

 

Luka in NYC (c) Nicholas Monaco

Sometime during 2008 - Luka Magnotta is in New York City where meets Miami-based Photographer Nicholas Monaco at Madison Square Garden, to take shots of him around the City.  During the 45-minute photoshoot Luka tells Nicholas Monaco he is a model and pays him $100 for digital copies of the pictures.  In an interview with The Ottawa Citizen on 30th May 2012, Nicholas Monaco is quoted as saying of Luka Magnotta, "He is a creepy kind of person, you know."

April 2009 - After a two-year gap Luka Magnotta features in a gay pornographic video called 'Monster Cock Jocks 25'.

16th May 2009 - Luka Magnotta Facebook page is created. The first of 70 Facebook accounts it is claimed that he created. There is a good article on Luka Magnotta's Facebook profiles and activities on Macleans.ca.  
It would appear that the bulk of these pages were created from 2011 onwards.

23rd June 2009 to 1st July 2009 -  estrip.org - lukamagnotta - LM sets up a journal page and posts 44 articles about himself and his life in the space of just over a week!  I feel this is significant because after these postings LM appears to vanish for nearly a year.  I have written more about this in a separate blog entry. I decided not to post links to all these journal entries here, but I have created a PDF with links to all 44 articles with accompanying PDF screenshots.  [PDF 56Kb]

26th October 2009 – Luka Magnotta starts seeing Dr. Robert Weinstein at North York General Hospital, Toronto. Dr Weinstein says things changed for Luka Magnotta at 19 years old. He told Dr. Weinstein, that he had a boyfriend who would get nose bleeds and paints the words “I love you” with blood on LM's apartment door.
 
May 2010 - Dr. Weinstein diagnosed Luka Magnotta as schizophrenic, somewhat unstable. Luka Magnotta was taking a estate agent course. Stressful.

4th June 2010 - Luka Magnotta enrols as a student at Orea Real Estate College in Toronto, Ontario, presumably to retrain as an estate agent (Realtor).  Whether he actually attended the College and commenced the study programme is uncertain but a copy of his enrolment contract is in the Romeo Salta PDF.

4th July 2010 - Luka Magnotta tells his psychiatrist, Dr. Weinstein, that his boyfriend pays for apartment and that Luka thinks he just uses him for sex. Dr. Weinstein wrote:“Clearly there are many difficulties in this relationship. I question whether this boyfriend has a drug problem.”

13th August 2010 – Dr Weinstein notes in Luka Magnotta's medical file that things not going well for Luka Magnotta. His ex-boyfriend is harassing him, he appears to have lost weight and he had to give up on real estate course due to the stress. Dr. Weinstein tells Luka that he has to take his medication, especially in times of stress. This appointment was the last time he was seen at North York General Hospital.

Sometime during 2010 - The final gay pornographic video listed as featuring Luka Magnotta on the Internet Adult Film Directory, Daddy Mugs Fucks Justin 2, is released with Luka as 'Justin'. This porn film is a marked departure from the type of video work Luka had done previously, not least because his 'co-star' was considerably older than him. 

   

Unless anyone knows otherwise this appears to be the end of Luka Magnotta's adult film making career. In the course of compiling this page I have been unable to find any evidence of a professional modelling portfolio, i.e. publications he featured in, or fashion houses/branded products he modelled for, or notable paid modelling assignments. 

It would appear that the bulk of Luka's portfolio of professional photographs were taken by photographers on an amateur modelling/gratis basis or where he paid for the shoot.

Autumn 2010 - Luka Magnotta takes a trip to Europe.  There is a lack of information about his itinerary and whether he travelled alone or with a companion, but he posted this blog on 26th October 2010 claiming to be in Paris with his "husband"! 


January 2011 - Luka Magnotta was admitted to Mount Sinai Hospital, Miami, after being brought in by police. He claims he had been given substance and was confused. Luka Magnotta discharged from Miami hospital and told to come back if he becomes depressed or manic.

January 2011 - Luka is living in Manhattan, New York City, when he contacts lawyer Romeo Salta to seek legal advice about groups of animal rights activists he claims are persecuting him and seeking to bring him to justice in connection with alleged animal rights abuse claims. Luka also details in his emails to Mr. Salta incidents of serious abuse against him by someone he referred to as 'Manny'.  Full details in the Timeline.

"Rocco" by Paul Mason

1st May 2011 - Montreal photographer Paul Mason, 48, goes to Luka Magnotta's apartment to photograph him after Luka responded to his advertisement on Craigslist in April 2011. Luka calls himself 'Rocco' and speaks with a Slavic accent throughout the photoshoot, telling Paul Mason he is of Russian-Italian heritage.  There is a detailed account of Paul Mason's photoshoot meeting with Luka 'Rocco' Magnotta on Macleans.ca and a selection of images taken of Luka by Paul Mason during the unpaid photoshoot.

20th July 2011 - Luka Magnotta sees family doctor, Dr. Andrée David, at the Monk Medical Clinic in Montreal, complaining of inability to gain weight despite working out and feeling fatigued.  Dr. David does not prescribe medication, but records chronic fatigue in his medical note.

December 2011 - Luka Magnotta travels to England presumably on vacation, where he stays at The Fusilier Pub in Wembley, London and possibly in Islington.  

8th December 2011 - Whilst staying at The Fusilier Pub Sun journalist Alex West confronts Luka about his alleged involvement in the notorious kitten killing videos on YouTube, which of course Luka denied.  

Full story in Timeline and blog. 

December 2011 - After returning to Canada, Luka Magnotta rents a 2nd Floor bachelor apartment in the Point St. Charles district of Montreal, for $550 per month. He makes a favourable impression on the building superintendent who described him as an "ordinary Joe Blow".  Luka speaks with a Slavic accent throughout his stay at Point St. Charles.

New Year 2012 - Following his skirmish with a Sun reporter in London a reward of $5,000 is offered by animal rights activists for information leading to the location of Luka Magnotta.  

New York based animal charity Last Chance for Animals also puts up a $7,500 reward for information about Luka's whereabouts and the internet campaigns intensify on Facebook and social media websites to track Luka down and bring him to justice for alleged animal cruelty offences.

Feburary 2012 - With the heat on him, Luka gives his landlord just a week's notice that he is moving out of his Point St. Charles apartment, telling the building superintendent he is moving to Toronto. In fact he only moves a mile or so down the road to the Cote-des-Neiges area of Montreal where he rents Apt. 208 at 5720 Decarie Place, going by the name 'Rocco'.

15th March 2012 - Luka Magnotta attends the Maisonneuve Rose Clinic, Montreal, as a walk-in patient and has a brief consultation with Dr. Marie Nicole Jean Destin.  He also sees a psychiatric nurse who notes that he is taking anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication, noting that he had been followed for 15-years in Ontario for bipolar disorder.  Dr. Destin testified during the Trial that there was no mention in his notes of schizophrenia.

March 2012 - An Ontario Police force investigation - following up on a complaint from the OSPCA, originally made in February 2011 - tracks Luka to the Point St. Charles apartments, but misses him by two weeks.  The building superintendent tells the police officer that Luka moved to Toronto. 

Full story in The Huffington Post. 

17th April 2012 - Luka Magnotta attends Jewish General Hospital, Montreal following a referral from a general practitioner which mentions possible bi-polar affective disorder.  He is assessed by psychiatrist, Dr. Joel Paris, who diagnoses Luka Magnotta with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) after just an hour-long assessment.  He tells Dr. Paris about chronic feelings of emptiness as well as fears of being cheated on and of abandonment. Impulsive behaviours. He said he had tried to kill himself twice and describes incidents of childhood physical and sexual abuse. Dr. Paris records that LM does not appear to be suffering from bipolar or psychosis and does not prescribe LM with any medication.  However, Dr. Paris recommended that LM is followed by the doctor at the CLSC.

Luka Magnotta presented at Jewish General Hospital with at least 5 'textbook' symptoms remarkably consistent with the DSM criteria to reach a diagnosis of BPD. Professor Paris is a world renown expert in Personality Disorders, particularly Borderline Personality Disorder, with some 40-years experience in psychiatric medicine. He testified during the Trial that even he did not know what Magnotta hoped to gain from the consultation.

The information contained herein comprises a basic biographical personal history for Eric Clinton Kirk Newman/Luka Rocco Magnotta,  Where possible I have endeavoured to cross-reference information to verify biographical details.  More contemporary events are detailed in the Timeline.