Six days after their bodies were discovered in their North York home recently put up for sale, there are few answers and countless questions about what led to the deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman.
The Canadian billionaires — Barry was the founder of the massive drug company Apotex — died last week, news that has shaken the Toronto’s Jewish community and shocked high-profile Canadians, including Justin Trudeau, John Tory and Bob Rae. The story of the prominent philanthropists’ deaths has made headlines across Canada and run in news outlets in the United States, Israel, Australia and beyond.
And yet, much remains to be known about the deaths of the Shermans, whose funeral will be held at the International Centre in Mississauga on Thursday. Here’s what we know, and don’t know, so far about the deaths.
Bodies discovered
The bodies of Barry Sherman, 75, and Honey Sherman, 70, were found inside their home at 50 Old Colony Rd. on December 15. Toronto police confirmed the 911 call came in at 11:44 a.m.
A Toronto police source told the Star it was the Sherman’s real estate agent, who had been helping sell the home recently listed for $6.9 million, who found the bodies, entering the home after being unable to make contact with the couple.
Police information
Toronto police have been tight-lipped about the case, releasing little information about the status of the investigation. Hours after the bodies were discovered, a detective confirmed no suspect was being sought and police have not said otherwise in the days since.
A police source confirmed to the Star that an early working theory for investigators was that the deaths were a case of murder-suicide. Barely 24 hours after the Shermans’ bodies were found, their four children released a statement blasting that scenario as a “rumour,” something close friends of the Shermans have also said.
Two days after the bodies were found, the Toronto police homicide squad officially took over as lead investigator; however, neither death has been deemed a homicide. Police are still calling the deaths suspicious.
Cause of deaths
A post-mortem was conducted on the Shermans Saturday and Sunday. Toronto police soon released a statement saying the cause of death for both Shermans had been “ligature neck compression.”
The pathological term describes death from hanging or strangulation with a ligature — an object such as a belt or rope.
A police source told the Star that the couple was found together, by their indoor pool, hanging off a nearby structure in a semi-sitting position.
Next steps
Former homicide cops told the Star this week that investigators will be gathering and examining evidence and exploring all possibilities in the deaths, including murder-suicide, double suicide or double homicide.
The Toronto police forensic team had been working at the Old Colony Rd. home through the weekend and into this week. Detectives would have been looking for any physical evidence on scene, such as DNA, and likely been scouring computers and cellphones.
Still yet to come back are toxicology results, which may help provide new information, including whether any drugs had been ingested.
Toronto police had not released any new information about the deaths Wednesday.