News

Five people — including a member of the Bandidos motorcycle club — have been charged with first-degree murder in what police described as an "internal cleansing" within the gang.

The charges came after the bodies of eight men were found in a rural area near Shedden, Ont. in southwestern Ontario.

Police said Monday all eight of those men were also either members of the Bandidos or affiliated with the group.

"This is an isolated incident with ties to the Bandidos," OPP Detective Superintendent Ross Bingley told reporters during an afternoon news conference in London, Ont.

The eight victims were found by a farmer in rural Elgin county on Saturday. They were discovered in and around three cars and a tow truck in an isolated area.

The slayings mark the worst mass killing in Ontario history.

Initially, news of the slayings had sparked concern of a brewing gang war between motorcycle clubs. However, police said Monday there is no current evidence to suggest any other group was involved.

Among those charged is Wayne Kellestine, 56, who police called a "full-patch" member of the Bandidos.

Earlier in the day, reports from the scene had suggested a number of people were taken by police from Mr. Kellestine's home, which is located just kilometres away from where the bodies were discovered. Three other men and a woman also face first-degree murder charges in the killings.

Police said post mortems conducted on the victims showed they died from gunshot wounds. They were also still trying to determine exactly where the killings took place, although they suggested at least some may have been moved.

They wouldn't speculate on a motive for the killings. They did say they were aware of information which suggested a dispute between factions of the group in Canada and the United States.

At the news conference, police displayed a motorcycle jacket bearing the Bandidos emblem, saying they wanted to send a message to the public about the nature of such groups.

"They're not the motorcycle enthusiasts they like to portray themselves to be," OPP Detective Inspector Paul Beesley told reporters.

"We'd like the public to have the opportunity to see that today so they can make learned decisions when they're deciding whether or not they want to welcome them in to their communities."

Also arrested were Eric Niessen, 45, and Kerry Morris, 56, both of Monkton, Ont., Frank Mather, 32, of Sutton-Dunwich Township, Ont., and Brett Gardner, 21, of no fixed address.

Police identified the full-patch Bandidos who were among the dead as George Jesso, 52, of Etobicoke; George Kriarakis, 28, Luis Manny Raposo, 41, and Francesco Salerajno, 43, of Toronto; John Muscedere, 48, of Chatham, Ont.; and Paul Sinopoli, 30, of Sutton, Ont.

Also killed were Jamie Flanz, 37, of Keswick, Ont., described as a "prospect" member of the gang, and Michael Trotta, 31, of Mississauga, Ont., an associate member.

With a file from Canadian Press