Deaths of billionaire and wife deemed suspicious

Toronto billionaire and philanthropist Barry Sherman and his wife were found dead in their mansion Friday, and police said they were investigating the deaths as suspicious.

Const. David Hopkinson would not identify the two bodies found at the home of Apotex founder Bernard “Barry” Sherman and his wife Honey. But Ontario’s health minister said the couple had been discovered dead.

Hopkinson noted that it was early in the police investigation.

“The circumstances of their death appear suspicious and we are treating it that way,” Hopkinson said at a news conference held outside the couple’s home. “Our investigators are inside investigating and taking apart the scene.”

Hopkinson said police were called to the Shermans’ home in an upscale neighbourhood of north Toronto just before noon on Friday in response to a “medical complaint.” He declined to say whether the bodies showed signs of trauma and did not provide details on the time or cause of death.

Hopkinson said the deaths are not currently being treated as homicides, adding that more investigation will be necessary.

“There may be suspicious circumstances. It’s an investigative tool,” he said. “Until we know exactly how they died, we treat it as suspicious. Once a determination has been made by the pathologist and the coroner, then we move forward from there.”

Barry Sherman founded Toronto-based Apotex Inc. in 1974 with two employees and gradually turned it into the largest Canadian-owned pharmaceutical company. Along the way he amassed a vast fortune, recently estimated by Canadian Business magazine at $4.77 billion.