The intense media coverage of this gruesome murder case will reach a peak when the accused appears in court in Montreal to face criminal charges after having been extradited from Germany.
Amid all the publicity surrounding the case little attention has been drawn to the fact it appears the alleged murderer was influenced, at least to some extent, by a video game featuring a well-known actor.

Published accounts indicate that some themes in the game are eerily similar to the grisly crimes attributed to the former Eric Newman, who is said to have changed his name to match that of the main character in the video game, Vince Magnotta.

As the court proceedings unfold it is hoped that experts will be able to determine how much of an influence the violent game actually had on the suspected murderer. Additionally, the media will hopefully promote public debate on the advisability of controlling access to the violent content of such so-called entertainment.