CANADA Canada - Billionaire Couple Barry & Honey Sherman Murdered at Home, Toronto, 15 Dec 2017 #22

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From link, rbbm this bit was intriguing ''it could be covering up something else.''

''I think it really does come down to [the Shermans’] victimology. There is somebody that benefited greatly from their deaths. It doesn't necessarily have to be financial … This is a personal cause homicide, which means there's somebody, with a personal issue with them, that caused them to want to kill both of them. And there was probably some benefit to [the killer]. It could be financial, it could be revenge, it could be covering up something else.''
 
From link, rbbm this bit was intriguing ''it could be covering up something else.''

''I think it really does come down to [the Shermans’] victimology. There is somebody that benefited greatly from their deaths. It doesn't necessarily have to be financial … This is a personal cause homicide, which means there's somebody, with a personal issue with them, that caused them to want to kill both of them. And there was probably some benefit to [the killer]. It could be financial, it could be revenge, it could be covering up something else.''

I don’t quite understand that. Does it mean if the Shermans had lived something the killer did would have been exposed? Or the murders coincided with another crime? (Eg. a financial one of some sort).
 
I don’t quite understand that. Does it mean if the Shermans had lived something the killer did would have been exposed? Or the murders coincided with another crime? (Eg. a financial one of some sort).
I think it's just a general motive for murder, that is perhaps seen more often amongst wealthy people, because they prioritize social status. Some examples:

- Murdaugh killed his wife and son allegedly to prevent his financial crimes being revealed
- Robert Durst apparently killed two people to try to elude prosecution for his first murder.
- Some younger murderers have killed their parents to prevent them from learning about their deceptions.
- An Executive Assistant murdered his wealthy boss, after the boss confronted him about theft but didn't go to police.

JMO
 
From link, rbbm this bit was intriguing ''it could be covering up something else.''

''I think it really does come down to [the Shermans’] victimology. There is somebody that benefited greatly from their deaths. It doesn't necessarily have to be financial … This is a personal cause homicide, which means there's somebody, with a personal issue with them, that caused them to want to kill both of them. And there was probably some benefit to [the killer]. It could be financial, it could be revenge, it could be covering up something else.''
"Covering up something else" - must have been something, HS also knew about and would have made her a remaining danger in the future, if she would have survived being a little elderly widow without Apotex-insider-knowledge.
In what areas would HS, just like her husband, have been a danger for possible denunciation or betrayal?

Complicated to find some reason without touching the main theme in the background, which always seems to be MONEY, I think.
 
From link, rbbm this bit was intriguing ''it could be covering up something else.''

''I think it really does come down to [the Shermans’] victimology. There is somebody that benefited greatly from their deaths. It doesn't necessarily have to be financial … This is a personal cause homicide, which means there's somebody, with a personal issue with them, that caused them to want to kill both of them. And there was probably some benefit to [the killer]. It could be financial, it could be revenge, it could be covering up something else.''

What resonated with me about Julia Cowley's comments, she believes...
- There was only one assailant, while I believed there were two.
- She tends to discount the idea of a hitman, I was pretty sure the Night Walker was the hitman.
- This was a personal cause homicide, which I agree with.

She was very clear to disclaim accuracy of her opinions, based on the fact she was only looking at reports and public information.

I was also surprised about her comments about the ineffectiveness of rewards.

If one assumes she is mostly correct, and the Night Walker was the assailant, the implication that the Night Walker is the beneficiary of the crime in some way. "It could be financial, it could be revenge, it could be covering up something else.''

If this is true, therefore the Sherman's could have had some interaction with the NW in the past.

My logic follows like this, the NW wanted the Sherman's dead based on some fact known to the the NW, where he was at jeopardy from the Sherman's. It follows that the Sherman's had some knowledge and/or awareness of the NW. (The NW is not going around killing random strangers is he?)

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Another thought has come to me, could the NW be some disgruntled ex-employee of one of the Sherman companies, or entities. Could he be an indirect victim of one of Barry's many lawsuits? Maybe the Sherman's never were aware of this man personally, like I first assumed.

We hear often of a disgruntled employee, or ex-employee taking revenge on some manager. That is not that unusual.
What if someone close to the assailant died as a result of some problem with an Apotex drug, and in his grief he takes revenge on the Sherman's?

The idea of a rogue revenge seeker killing the Sherman's has some possibility, and if true, it will be extremely difficult to catch him. Maybe that explains why the case remains unsolved.

Now I am really confused!

IMO
 
Wondering now if anyone is taking into consideration MS' suggestion that 'the killings may have been motivated by religion'?. speculation, imo.
2022
''The ITOs show that in her second interview with police, Honey Sherman’s sister, Mary Shechtman, suggested the person responsible for the murders was “making a statement” and that she believed the motive for the killings may have been motivated by religion.


"The Shermans were strong supporters of Israel and Honey was very vocal about being Jewish,” Shechtman said. “There were a lot of people of a certain ethnicity going through the house at a certain time and Honey would use phrases that were not politically correct."

2018 rbbm
''The number of hate crimes in Canada soared to a new high in 2017, with Jews holding the dubious distinction of being the most targeted victim group, according to police data compiled by Statistics Canada.

While hate crimes overall rose by 47 per cent over 2016, the number of incidents involving Jews climbed by nearly 63 per cent.''
 
Wondering now if anyone is taking into consideration MS' suggestion that 'the killings may have been motivated by religion'?. speculation, imo.
2022
''The ITOs show that in her second interview with police, Honey Sherman’s sister, Mary Shechtman, suggested the person responsible for the murders was “making a statement” and that she believed the motive for the killings may have been motivated by religion.


"The Shermans were strong supporters of Israel and Honey was very vocal about being Jewish,” Shechtman said. “There were a lot of people of a certain ethnicity going through the house at a certain time and Honey would use phrases that were not politically correct."

2018 rbbm
''The number of hate crimes in Canada soared to a new high in 2017, with Jews holding the dubious distinction of being the most targeted victim group, according to police data compiled by Statistics Canada.

While hate crimes overall rose by 47 per cent over 2016, the number of incidents involving Jews climbed by nearly 63 per cent.
Was she referring to any Iranians?
 
Wondering now if anyone is taking into consideration MS' suggestion that 'the killings may have been motivated by religion'?. speculation, imo.
2022
''The ITOs show that in her second interview with police, Honey Sherman’s sister, Mary Shechtman, suggested the person responsible for the murders was “making a statement” and that she believed the motive for the killings may have been motivated by religion.


"The Shermans were strong supporters of Israel and Honey was very vocal about being Jewish,” Shechtman said. “There were a lot of people of a certain ethnicity going through the house at a certain time and Honey would use phrases that were not politically correct."

2018 rbbm
''The number of hate crimes in Canada soared to a new high in 2017, with Jews holding the dubious distinction of being the most targeted victim group, according to police data compiled by Statistics Canada.

While hate crimes overall rose by 47 per cent over 2016, the number of incidents involving Jews climbed by nearly 63 per cent.''
Was Barry, the avowed atheist, murdered, because his religious Jewish wife used politically uncorrect phrases towards a certain group of visitors? All because of his earned money, he gave to Charity for Jewish facilities?
 
Wondering now if anyone is taking into consideration MS' suggestion that 'the killings may have been motivated by religion'?. speculation, imo.
2022
''The ITOs show that in her second interview with police, Honey Sherman’s sister, Mary Shechtman, suggested the person responsible for the murders was “making a statement” and that she believed the motive for the killings may have been motivated by religion.


"The Shermans were strong supporters of Israel and Honey was very vocal about being Jewish,” Shechtman said. “There were a lot of people of a certain ethnicity going through the house at a certain time and Honey would use phrases that were not politically correct."

2018 rbbm
''The number of hate crimes in Canada soared to a new high in 2017, with Jews holding the dubious distinction of being the most targeted victim group, according to police data compiled by Statistics Canada.

While hate crimes overall rose by 47 per cent over 2016, the number of incidents involving Jews climbed by nearly 63 per cent.''
With what's happening today between Palestine and Israel puts a whole new slant on the murder of two prominent Jews. That conflict had been going on for 75 years.
 
From link, rbbm this bit was intriguing ''it could be covering up something else.''

''I think it really does come down to [the Shermans’] victimology. There is somebody that benefited greatly from their deaths. It doesn't necessarily have to be financial … This is a personal cause homicide, which means there's somebody, with a personal issue with them, that caused them to want to kill both of them. And there was probably some benefit to [the killer]. It could be financial, it could be revenge, it could be covering up something else.''
IMO it is all three of those.
 
IMO it is all three of those.
I think this profiler did a very good job. It does seem personal, well planned by someone with a great deal of inside knowledge, who did their best to stage it, to make it look like a murder suicide to stop further investigation by a homicide detectives. The motive was likely financial, and I have always felt that the fact that the Shermans were about to change their wills, and leave much more of their estate to charity,could point to anyone in the family who would lose a great part of their inheritance, if this happened. As the profiler mentioned, leaving Barry's papers scattered does make one think that it could have been a one person, more or less amateur job. Leaving those papers always bothered me. Under pressure, and possibly killing Barry on the spot, then dragging his body to the pool railing, may have caused him to forget about the spilled papers, especially if he left by another way.
If all of the children have solid alibis, that could mean that one or more of them could have worked with an in-law, who also would have much to gain financially by their deaths. It would be easier for an in-law to carry out the actual murders, because he would not actually be killing his own parents, or blood relatives. Also this person would be familiar with the house, and could have been given detailed information about Honey and Barry's habits, and also that no one else but them would be in the home the night of the murder. The Nightwalker looked to me like he was wearing many layers of clothing, and using a hat and scarf to hide his identity. It is also easy to put something in a boot to change the gait slightly when walking. With all the security cameras in the neighbourhood, I am sure those who planned the murders knew he would be on camera. I agree with the profiler that he walked so that no vehicle would appear on camera. Do all the in-laws have solid alibis for the night of the murder? Do any of them have military training so they would know how to kill, and maybe have already done that? Just some questions, and speculation on my part, but I would like to hear your opinions on these issues. IMO
 
Wondering now if anyone is taking into consideration MS' suggestion that 'the killings may have been motivated by religion'?. speculation, imo.
2022
''The ITOs show that in her second interview with police, Honey Sherman’s sister, Mary Shechtman, suggested the person responsible for the murders was “making a statement” and that she believed the motive for the killings may have been motivated by religion.


"The Shermans were strong supporters of Israel and Honey was very vocal about being Jewish,” Shechtman said. “There were a lot of people of a certain ethnicity going through the house at a certain time and Honey would use phrases that were not politically correct."

2018 rbbm
''The number of hate crimes in Canada soared to a new high in 2017, with Jews holding the dubious distinction of being the most targeted victim group, according to police data compiled by Statistics Canada.

While hate crimes overall rose by 47 per cent over 2016, the number of incidents involving Jews climbed by nearly 63 per cent.''
I find it hard to believe that this was a hate crime. It seemed too personal.
I don't disagree that Jews and Muslims (and indigenous) have been the victims of hate crimes, but this situation just doesn't seem to fit.

ETA: typo
 
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I think this profiler did a very good job. It does seem personal, well planned by someone with a great deal of inside knowledge, who did their best to stage it, to make it look like a murder suicide to stop further investigation by a homicide detectives. The motive was likely financial, and I have always felt that the fact that the Shermans were about to change their wills, and leave much more of their estate to charity,could point to anyone in the family who would lose a great part of their inheritance, if this happened. As the profiler mentioned, leaving Barry's papers scattered does make one think that it could have been a one person, more or less amateur job. Leaving those papers always bothered me. Under pressure, and possibly killing Barry on the spot, then dragging his body to the pool railing, may have caused him to forget about the spilled papers, especially if he left by another way.
If all of the children have solid alibis, that could mean that one or more of them could have worked with an in-law, who also would have much to gain financially by their deaths. It would be easier for an in-law to carry out the actual murders, because he would not actually be killing his own parents, or blood relatives. Also this person would be familiar with the house, and could have been given detailed information about Honey and Barry's habits, and also that no one else but them would be in the home the night of the murder. The Nightwalker looked to me like he was wearing many layers of clothing, and using a hat and scarf to hide his identity. It is also easy to put something in a boot to change the gait slightly when walking. With all the security cameras in the neighbourhood, I am sure those who planned the murders knew he would be on camera. I agree with the profiler that he walked so that no vehicle would appear on camera. Do all the in-laws have solid alibis for the night of the murder? Do any of them have military training so they would know how to kill, and maybe have already done that? Just some questions, and speculation on my part, but I would like to hear your opinions on these issues. IMO
I don't under-estimate how truly sick and twisted someone's mind has to be to be responsible for this. IMO, it goes far beyond ordinary greed, ordinary resentment, etc.

Otherwise, it would be more common.

JMO
 
Sphinx said,
It would be easier for an in-law to carry out the actual murders, because he would not actually be killing his own parents, or blood relatives.

As stated by others, strangulation can be a very close and personal method of murder. It is not quick or easy. For this reason I believe the actual assailant was the person with the hate and anger towards the Sherman's or a professional killer. I have difficulty accepting that an in-law or close friend or relative of the family could commit such a crime.
Your brother-in-law may want his wife dead, but I doubt he could convince you to kill her.
 
I am of the opinion that a great deal of money, literally billions, and each child inheriting a billion or more, is a motive so strong that it over-rode normal thought processes or emotions. It would not be impossible for an in-law to collude with a close friend, and trusted family member to carry out the actual murder. I also suspect the killer knew how to kill, and may have learned it in the military, as well as having killed in the line of duty, using strangulation as one method -- quiet, almost bloodless, and the weapon -- maybe something like a silk scarf, easy to carry, and obtain.This would not be a job for someone who has never killed before. I also think this person was approached by a family member, and convinced that if they did not act before new wills were signed, much of the inheritance would go to charity. Whoever did this had a great deal of inside information that only someone very close to The Shermans would know, but I do not think they had much, if any previous experience staging a crime scene, thus the mistakes, like the marks on the wrists and throat indicating strangulation before hanging, Barry's spilled papers left in the hall where he was likely attacked, and even Honey's phone left in the upstairs powder room. The plan was likely to have the case closed as a murder suicide, with no one investigating and looking for the murderer(s). They did not anticipate someone like KD on the case, either, who will do his best to help the police solve it, and who will never let the case become a cold case, that everyone forgets. IMO


As stated by others, strangulation can be a very close and personal method of murder. It is not quick or easy. For this reason I believe the actual assailant was the person with the hate and anger towards the Sherman's or a professional killer. I have difficulty accepting that an in-law or close friend or relative of the family could commit such a crime.
Your brother-in-law may want his wife dead, but I doubt he could convince you to kill her.
 
Hi
I’m back on WS and new to this thread. I’ve been trying to familiarize myself with the BS/HS case (LE facts and various theories discussed by others), and have found myself also wondering a few things discussed by others in this thread.

Theory 1) The murders were committed by persons(s) “very close” to the Shermans…”follow the money” etc.
IF so, then why the stalking or following the Shermans weeks before and leading up to the murders, per LE? Wouldn’t such family member(s) have insider knowledge to know when both were going to be home alone - he/she knew BS was going to be home early that evening and specifically chose that time frame to commit the murders so as to stop something from happening (changes to a will?) in order to maintain his/flow of $. And IF so, why not simply stage it as a burglary gone bad given the number of break ins in the area? Or why not just stage suicide via other means such as overdose? Why strangulation? Why by the pool? Why the Canadian tire belts? What significance did any of the staging have? To humiliate? BUT who would have gained from humiliating both BS and HS? Thus, not only for financial gain but also revenge due to anger and possibly hate? Does the act of humiliating BS and HS hint to his/her need to have power over them? IF so, who had felt (or was feeling or would soon feel) powerless in the family circle? Who felt shamed by either of them?
On that note…I also wonder a lot about the involvement of JS and a business partner who was said to have a lot of influence on JS. Was JS blackmailed by the business partner in any way, as in “do it or else!”? Did JS blackmail anyone into doing it?
Makes me also wonder whether JS or business partner or both were involved in grand scale money laundering and BS and HS had to act before getting tied up in it?


Theory 2) The NW (a disgruntled individual who had crossed paths with the Shermans at some point) committed the murders to seek revenge. IF so, why the need to stage the bodies as such? Why HS and not just BS or vise versa? Why the need to commit the murders during such a specific time frame and how would they have had knowledge of the fact that BS and HS were going to be home alone between 8:30-9pm. Is this specific time frame merely coincidental? What would this individual gain by staging it as murder-suicide?

Theory 3) It was done by big pharma. IF so, why the need to stage murder-suicide?

Theory 4) Targeted due to HS and BS connection Israel/Jewish/anti-semitism/hate crime. IF so, why the need to stage murder-suicide? To buy time to skip the country? WHY that specific time frame/that day? Why not any other day such as the next day?

MOO
 
Hi
I’m back on WS and new to this thread. I’ve been trying to familiarize myself with the BS/HS case (LE facts and various theories discussed by others), and have found myself also wondering a few things discussed by others in this thread.

Theory 1) The murders were committed by persons(s) “very close” to the Shermans…”follow the money” etc.
IF so, then why the stalking or following the Shermans weeks before and leading up to the murders, per LE? Wouldn’t such family member(s) have insider knowledge to know when both were going to be home alone - he/she knew BS was going to be home early that evening and specifically chose that time frame to commit the murders so as to stop something from happening (changes to a will?) in order to maintain his/flow of $. And IF so, why not simply stage it as a burglary gone bad given the number of break ins in the area? Or why not just stage suicide via other means such as overdose? Why strangulation? Why by the pool? Why the Canadian tire belts? What significance did any of the staging have? To humiliate? BUT who would have gained from humiliating both BS and HS? Thus, not only for financial gain but also revenge due to anger and possibly hate? Does the act of humiliating BS and HS hint to his/her need to have power over them? IF so, who had felt (or was feeling or would soon feel) powerless in the family circle? Who felt shamed by either of them?
On that note…I also wonder a lot about the involvement of JS and a business partner who was said to have a lot of influence on JS. Was JS blackmailed by the business partner in any way, as in “do it or else!”? Did JS blackmail anyone into doing it?
Makes me also wonder whether JS or business partner or both were involved in grand scale money laundering and BS and HS had to act before getting tied up in it?


Theory 2) The NW (a disgruntled individual who had crossed paths with the Shermans at some point) committed the murders to seek revenge. IF so, why the need to stage the bodies as such? Why HS and not just BS or vise versa? Why the need to commit the murders during such a specific time frame and how would they have had knowledge of the fact that BS and HS were going to be home alone between 8:30-9pm. Is this specific time frame merely coincidental? What would this individual gain by staging it as murder-suicide?

Theory 3) It was done by big pharma. IF so, why the need to stage murder-suicide?

Theory 4) Targeted due to HS and BS connection Israel/Jewish/anti-semitism/hate crime. IF so, why the need to stage murder-suicide? To buy time to skip the country? WHY that specific time frame/that day? Why not any other day such as the next day?

MOO
Welcome back to WS and to this thread. It is good to have “new eyes” on this case as things have certainly gone cold.
 
I am curious to know what anyone on this thread would respond to the following…I know some will react with a raised brow

Let’s for a moment, assume that BS and HS were just average ordinary people (not billionaires), and we knew the following facts about the murder (feel free to correct me on this):

Husband (age 75); wife (age 69)
Location: victims’ home (Toronto, 2017)
Method: ligature neck strangulation
restrained by a belt around the neck
hands were tied (at some point)
staged by the pool fully clothed

No signs of forced entry
Possible suspect (on video)
5-6 to 5-10
seen walking within close vicinity of the victims’ house
walks with a gait
on the heavier weight side

What would be some first impressions regarding the murders?

Personally, the first thought that came to mind after seeing the suspect on video was
“Could it have been Bruce MacArthur?!”

MOO
 
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