The Canadian pharmaceutical billionaire couple found dead at their home in Toronto on Dec 15, were murdered in a targeted killing, police investigators said.
Police in their first detailed comments on the case said that they are treating the case as a double murder, but declined to say if they had any suspects.
Barry and Honey Sherman were found hanging by belts from a railing next to a swimming pool at their Toronto mansion, reports Reuters citing police.
Toronto homicide detective Susan Gomes said at a press conference that authorities believed the Shermans were targeted, but did not elaborate.
Police have “an extensive list of people we’re looking forward to speaking to,” she said.
The Sherman family said in a statement that it had expected police would classify the deaths as homicides.
The family hired a private investigator in late December and conducted an independent autopsy after complaining that police mishandled the case in its early days.
Gomes said that investigators initially reviewed three possibilities: double suicide, murder suicide and double homicide.
Barry Sherman, one of Canada's richest men, and his wife were well-known for their philanthropy, and their sudden deaths stunned many in the country, says a BBC report.
Many prominent figures including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed condolences over the death of the billionaire couple.
Trudeau also attended a memorial service on Dec 21 that was broadcast on television.
Barry Sherman founded Apotex Inc in 1974 and built it into a pharmaceutical giant before stepping down as chief executive in 2012.
Separately, Apotex said on Friday that its Chief Executive Jeremy Desai had resigned and would be replaced by his predecessor and company co-founder Jack Kay.
Apotex is in a legal dispute with Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries (TEVA.TA) (TEVA.N), the world’s biggest maker of generic drugs, over allegations that a former Teva executive shared trade secrets with Desai.
An Apotex representative said Desai’s departure was not related to Teva’s lawsuit against Apotex.
Desai could not be reached immediately for comment.