During the hearing, Magnotta stood silently between two guards, handcuffed and wearing a brown shirt. He said just one word to his defense lawyer. Panaccio told his client that he hoped to speak with him later Tuesday.

"If you wish to call me at home tonight, I'd be pleased to talk about this," Panaccio told Magnotta.

"Okay," the suspect replied before being led away to detention.

His appearance lasted about three minutes.

Magnotta faces charges including first-degree murder, defiling a corpse, threatening the prime minister and using the mail system for delivering "obscene, indecent, immoral or scurrilous" material.

Prosecutor Helene DiSalvo said authorities will meet with Lin's family, who traveled to Canada after hearing of his death. She said finding the head is important to both the case and the victim's family.