Four weeks after Barry and Honey Sherman were found dead in their Toronto home, officers continue to guard the property around the clock, as investigators continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the couple’s deaths.
Marked Toronto police cruisers have been regularly seen in front of the Sherman home on Old Colony Road near Bayview Avenue and Highway 401 multiple times over the past several weeks by Global News crews, including Friday morning.
Barry Sherman and his wife Honey were found inside their Old Colony Road home on Dec. 15. A post-mortem examination found the Shermans died of “ligature neck compression” and police said the deaths are being treated as suspicious.
READ MORE: Toronto police, sewage crews checking pipes in front of Barry and Honey Sherman’s house
Mike McCormack, president of the Toronto Police Association, told Global News the constant protection of the property has added to front-line staffing issues.
“What we’re saying is there has to be adequate police resources out there so when you have these scenes and you have this investigative need, that we have sufficient officers to do that in a proper and thorough way, as well as to continue to protect the public and to respond to calls for public safety,” McCormack said.
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“It doesn’t matter if we’re sending officers to the Sherman house or other crime scenes or whatever. This is the impact overall and what the Sherman case has done is just demonstrate what is actually going on across the city, regardless of what the crime scene is.”
WATCH: Family, friends pay tribute to Barry and Honey Sherman
Global News contacted Toronto police to get a better understanding of the extent of police resources being directed at the Sherman investigation and why the house is still blocked off. Spokesperson Mark Pugash declined a request for an on-camera interview, but said every investigation is different and police invest the resources that are necessary.
Mayor John Tory, who also sits on the Toronto Police Services Board, was asked about the concerns being raised on Thursday.
“This is a major crime, or suspicious crime scene, and you have to protect the scene while there is an investigation going on, but I think they have recognized – and I think this is the responsibility of the chief – that there could be other ways to do this.”
READ MORE: Barry and Honey Sherman’s family hires private investigators to look into couple’s deaths
Meanwhile, Toronto police homicide officers are continuing their investigation. Officers haven’t named any potential suspects or released much information about the case.
Brian Greenspan, a prominent lawyer retained by the Sherman family, told Global News in late December he retained private investigators and forensic experts to “provide a second lens and to ensure that no stone is left unturned.”
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