MONTREAL

Police have recently converged seven cold cases involving murdered or disappeared children in the hopes of catching what they believe is one serial killer, QMI Agency has learned.

The heinous crimes were committed around the greater Montreal area between 1981 and 1992 and involve children between the ages of 4 and 12.

Sources say that police are considering the unsolved six murders and one disappearance as part of a recently opened single investigation.

The investigation is looking into the murders of Wilton Lubin and Maurice Viens as well as the disappearance of Sebastien Metivier. All three were reported missing Nov. 1 1984. The investigation also includes the murders of Tammy Leaky, Denis Roux-Bergevin, Pascal Poulin and Marie-Eve Lariviere.

QMI Agency has learned there are many similarities between the cases, including the fact that the six murder victims were kidnapped and sexually assaulted.

The case has been transferred to a special serial killer unit of the provincial police. The unit is also working with the Montreal and Laval, Que., forces.

The two 1984 murders and one disappearance galvanized the province into action. Montreal police authorities assigned its entire homicide unit to track those responsible for killing Lubin and Viens.

The head of Quebec's Missing Children's Network said the organization was founded as a response to the killings of those two boys.

Christiane Sirois, whose son Sebastien Metivier was kidnapped when he was eight years old, said she is still looking for him.

"I wish with all my heart that the person responsible (for Sebastien's disappearance) is still alive," she said.