*FEATUREDNEWS

Suspicious deaths on Old Colony Road being treated as homicide now

More than two days after finding bodies in a house on Old Colony Road, police have identified the victims and cause of death.

The deceased are Barry Sherman, 75, and Honey Sherman, 70, said a press release from Toronto Police on Sunday at 6:55 p.m.

The deceased were widely reported by media and acknowledged by Barry Sherman’s company, Apotex, to be the billionaire and his wife, occupants of the house at 50 Old Colony Road in the York Mills area. But police would not officially identify the deceased, because they had not determined whether murder was involved, they said. The deaths were termed only “suspicious” by police.

But on Sunday evening Toronto Police Service announced homicide detectives were taking the lead in the investigation.

“Post-mortem examinations were carried out yesterday and today,” police said in the press release. “The cause of death for both deceased was ligature neck compression.”

Other media had earlier cited unnamed sources to say the bodies were found hanging from a railing around the home’s indoor swimming pool.

At least one such source said they were discovered by a realtor showing the house, which had been listed for sale for the previous two weeks.

Police would only say they responded to a 911 call to the address shortly before noon hour on Dec. 15. They located a man and woman, both deceased, at the address.

By 5:38, Apotex, the pharmaceutical company founded by Sherman, was tweeting, “We’ve been informed of the tragic news that Barry and Honey Sherman have unexpectedly passed away.”

Police said Friday evening they weren’t looking for a culprit and the surrounding community was not being warned of any danger. Police reported finding no sign of forced entry into the house.

Autopsies on the bodies were scheduled for Saturday to help determine if foul play was involved. But police had no update by Sunday morning and were still classifying the deaths as suspicious, Const. Hopkinson said.