Apotex founder Barry Sherman and his wife Honey were both killed by ligature neck compression and homicide detectives have now taken over the investigation into their deaths, Toronto police announced Sunday.
After carrying out post-mortem examinations over the weekend, police confirmed Sunday that the bodies of the wealthy couple had been found at their home Friday morning.
READ MORE: Sources reveal details of ‘suspicious’ deaths of Apotex founder Barry Sherman and wife Honey
“That is what the post-mortem indicates and that is the terminology that they give us,” Const. Michelle Flannery said when asked to elaborate on findings from autopsies performed over the weekend.
Barry Sherman, 75, and Honey, 70, were found dead, hanging from a railing around the indoor pool in their home, sources told Global News.
WATCH: Friends of Barry Sherman and his wife Honey speak after suspicious death
A realtor found the bodies at the home located on Old Colony Road near Bayview Avenue and Highway 401, sources told Global News. A listing posted online said the home, located in an upscale Toronto neighbourhood, is currently on the market for just under $7 million.
Emergency crews were initially dispatched to the Sherman home just before 11:45 a.m. Friday on a medical call. When crews arrived, they found the couple dead, under circumstances that police described as suspicious.
READ MORE: Deaths of Apotex chairman Barry Sherman and wife Honey ‘appear suspicious’: Toronto police
On Friday night, police said they weren’t looking for an outstanding suspect and that there were no signs of forced entry into the home.
Sherman is the founder of generic drug-maker Apotex. Canadian Business magazine recently listed him as the 15th richest person in Canada, with a net worth of $4.77 billion.
WATCH: Deaths of 2 people found in Toronto home of Apotex chairman Barry Sherman ‘appear suspicious’ police
Sherman faced legal action from family members alleging they had been cut out of the company over the years. As a producer of more than 300 generic pharmaceutical products, Apotex has itself seen a number court cases, as companies have pushed back on its efforts to sell cheaper no-name options.
Sherman’s wife, Honey, was a member of the board of the Baycrest Foundation and the York University Foundation. She also served on the boards of Mount Sinai’s Women’s Auxiliary, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the International American Joint Distribution Committee.
READ MORE: Barry Sherman, Apotex founder, and wife Honey remembered as ‘wonderful human beings’
The Sherman family released a statement Saturday evening through Apotex, taking issue with some information multiple media outlets had reported through police sources.
WATCH: Barry and Honey Sherman found dead at north-end Toronto home
“Our parents shared an enthusiasm for life and commitment to their family and community totally inconsistent with the rumours regrettably circulated in the media as to the circumstances surrounding their deaths,” the statement read.
“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.”
The family went on to push police to conduct a “thorough, intensive and objective criminal investigation” and urged media to “refrain from further reporting as to the cause of these tragic deaths until the investigation is completed.”
— With files from Jessica Patton, Catherine McDonald, Nick Westoll and The Canadian Press
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