(Mississauga) An Ontario man accused of sending lethal substances to people who later committed suicide is formally charged with 14 counts of second-degree murder, in addition to his previous 14 charges of advising suicide and assisting in commit it.
Kenneth Law now faces a total of 28 charges. Police said Tuesday that all charges relate to the same 14 victims in Ontario.
These victims, aged 16 to 36, died in various locations across the province, as far north as Thunder Bay and as far southwest as London. More than one victim was under the age of 18, police said.
“This is still an ongoing investigation and I can say that evidence has come forward that supports the charge of second degree murder,” said Investigator Simon James of the York Regional Police, who is responsible for the joint investigation carried out by several police forces.
“I cannot speak about this evidence at this time in order to preserve the investigation,” Mr. James said at a press conference in Mississauga.
The accused’s lawyer, Matthew Gourlay, said his client would plead not guilty to all charges. Law, who is currently in custody, is expected to appear in Newmarket on December 19.
Police allege the 58-year-old Mississauga man operated several websites used to sell sodium nitrite and other items that can be used to self-mutilate. He reportedly shipped these products to over 40 countries.
Investigators estimate that more than 1,200 packages were sent around the world, including about 160 to Canada.
Law was arrested last May after Peel Regional Police investigated two deaths west of Toronto. He was then charged with two counts of “advising or assisting suicide.” Then, in August, 12 more similar charges were filed against Law.
Investigators said the alleged victims in Ontario came from the Greater Toronto Area, Durham Region, London, Thunder Bay and Waterloo Region.
Detective James said Tuesday that police are closely looking into a possible motive, which he said “is a key part of the investigation.” “The victims and survivors of this case are someone’s son, daughter, brother, sister, mother or father,” he said. They are all human beings and were loved by their family and friends who continue to live without them today. »
Authorities in other Canadian regions and other countries have indicated that they are also investigating possible links between the deaths in their jurisdictions and Law’s alleged activities.
“We work with law enforcement globally on a daily basis, in countries around the world,” Mr. James said. But one of the difficulties of this file concerns the number and location of websites potentially linked to the investigation, said the investigator.
“We know of a number of websites,” he said. One of the challenges we face is that a number of these sites are located in other countries where Canadian law does not apply, or where Canadian ordinances do not necessarily apply. »
British police announced that they had identified 232 people in the United Kingdom, 88 of whom died, who had purchased products on websites established in Canada and who were allegedly linked to Law.
Authorities in the United States, Italy, Australia and New Zealand have also opened their own investigations.