Two weeks ago it gave me immense joy to present a Senate medal to one of the kindest and most beloved members of Canada’s Jewish community. Today I am gutted by the loss of Honey and Barry Sherman. Our community is steeped in grief. I am heartbroken.
A billionaire couple from Toronto were found dead in their home under suspicious circumstances.
The Toronto Sun reported that first responders found Barry and Honey Sherman “hanging from a railing that surrounds a lap pool inside the house.”
City News reported the case is now a “suspicious death investigation.” The Toronto-based news source tweeted:
“#BREAKING: Toronto police say post mortem exams on Barry Sherman and wife Honey Sherman reveal the cause of death to be ligature neck compression. Homicide has now taken the lead in this suspicious death investigation.”
#BREAKING: Toronto police say post mortem exams on Barry Sherman and wife Honey Sherman reveal the cause of death to be ligature neck compression. Homicide has now taken the lead in this suspicious death investigation
Family members were angered by initial claims by alleged police sources touting the deaths as a murder-suicide case.
The Sherman family issued the following statement on Saturday, according The Globe:
Our parents shared an enthusiasm for life and commitment to their family and community totally inconsistent with the rumors regrettably circulated in the media as to the circumstances surrounding their deaths. We are shocked and think it’s irresponsible that police sources have reportedly advised the media of a theory which neither their family, their friends nor their colleagues believe to be true.
Police were first called to the couple’s mansion for a “medical complaint,” according to Fox News. It’s not clear who made that call. Const. David Hopkinson would not identify the bodies, Fox reported, but he said the deaths were “suspicious.”
A real estate agent who was assisting in the sale of the couple’s North York home found the bodies on Friday morning.
A line of police cars outside the mansion of Barry and Honey Sherman, plus a police forensics van just pulled up. Two bodies were found dead inside the home yesterday.
“Homicide is working with 33 Division on this until we get the post mortem. When we get the post mortem result, that should give us a good indication of where the investigation goes from there,” Police spokesman Mark Pugash told the news site.
It was reported that there were no notes left behind explaining the circumstances behind the deaths, and there were also no signs of forced entry.
Barry, age 75 at the time of his death, was the founder of Apotex Global. The company dedicated a heartfelt tribute to the man on their website, speaking about his “tremendous accomplishments” and stated how they “vow to carry on with the Apotex purpose in his honor.” The statement reads:
It is with profound sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of our founder, Dr. Bernard C. Sherman, Chairman of the Board of the Apotex Group of Companies, at the age of 75, and his wife Honey Sherman.
From its humble two-employee, 5,000 square-feet beginning in Toronto, the company Dr. Sherman founded grew into a global pharmaceutical organization that today employs more than 11,000 people in research, development, manufacturing, and distribution in facilities around the world.
Despite the increasingly global scope of Apotex, Dr. Sherman remained committed to Apotex’s Canadian roots with more than 6000 employees and 21 facilities across the country. The company’s continued focus on innovative and novel approaches to manufacturing is what has enabled it to produce pharmaceuticals cost effectively, helping to maintain production in Canada versus moving to lower cost markets and regions.
Dr. Sherman embraced the obligations that come with success. As a testament to this, Apotex provides significant support to a variety of charitable organizations and community groups in Canada and around the world, and invests significantly in the universities where many of our employees earned their degrees. The Apotex Foundation, a privately held charitable organization, has donated more than $50 million over the last ten years.
Dr. Sherman gave his life to the singular purpose of our organization – innovating for patient affordability. Patients around the world live healthier and more fulfilled lives thanks to his life’s work, and his significant impact on healthcare and healthcare sustainability will have an enduring impact for many years to come. As employees, we are proud of his tremendous accomplishments, honored to have known him, and vow to carry on with the Apotex purpose in his honor.