One of Canada's richest men and his wife were killed in a targeted double homicide, Toronto police confirmed on Friday in their first official briefing on the couple's mysterious deaths more than six weeks ago.
Police came to the conclusion after thousands of hours of investigation and painstakingly collecting and analysing hundreds of pieces of evidence from the billionaire couple's mansion in northern Toronto and their condo in Florida, police spokeswoman Susan Gomes said.
The bodies of pharmaceutical billionaire Barry Sherman, 75, and his wife Honey, 70, were found hanging by belts from a pool-side railing in a semi-seated position shortly before noon on December 15, Gomes said.
They were both fully clothed and wearing coats pulled down over their shoulders. Police said they did not find any signs of forced entry into the home.
At the start of the investigation, Gomes said police considered three possibilities: that the couple's deaths were a double suicide, a murder-suicide or a double homicide. However, evidence has led investigators to believe that the couple were murdered, she said.
"Both Honey and Barry Sherman were in fact targeted," Gomes said.
Police refused to discuss any information about possible suspects.
In a statement released shortly after Friday's news conference, the Sherman family said they had believed from the very beginning the deaths were a double homicide.
"This conclusion was expressed by the family from the outset and is consistent with the findings of the independent autopsy and investigation," the statement reads.
Police said they have now turned the couple's home back to the family.
Honey and Barry Sherman are seen in Toronto in this August 24, 2010 file picture.
