More Info Sought on Sherman Case
On December 14, 2017, at 11:44 a.m., officers responded to a 9-1-1 call at the Sherman’s residence at 50 Old Colony Rd. They were both deceased when police arrived.
Post-mortem examinations revealed that the cause of death was ligature neck compression.
The investigation revealed that the Sherman’s were last seen alive in the evening hours of Wednesday, December 13. Neither of the two had communicated with friends or associates from that time until their discovery on December 14 in their residence. There were no signs of forced entry on all access points to the home.
At a news conference at police headquarters on December 16, Homicide Insp. Hank Idsinga said the police investigation remains active and ongoing. He also said the work of the private investigation team hired by the Sherman family has been completed.
“The Sherman family appreciates the hard work and dedication of the officers working on the case,” said Idsinga. “They are committed to working with us and have full confidence that the Toronto Police Service will solve this crime.
“…It has been two years since the murders and it’s not unusual, especially in an investigation such as this (that we have not been able to make arrests). We have had some high-profile investigations in the past that have taken some time. I have had murder cases where I have made an arrest four years after the fact. We have a Cold Case Squad that make arrests and close cases decades afterwards. I don’t think this case is going to fall into that category, but there is a lot of material that has got to be gone through before we get to a conclusion.”
To date, investigators have obtained 38 judicial authorizations which have resulted in the searches of residential and commercial properties, electronic devices and the production of 73 individual records.
Also, 150 items have been submitted to the Centre of Forensic Science for testing, 243 witnesses have been interviewed, four terabytes of security video have been obtained, 205 tips have been provided directly to police from the public, 343 tips have so far been provided to police via the private investigative team and 701 investigative actions have been assigned.
Idsinga said the sheer volume of information is overwhelming.
“In murder investigations, we are the gatherers of information and we have to go through it all and decipher it to see what’s information versus evidence,” he noted. “There is just a massive volume of information in relation to this case.”
Despite the vigorous work by police, police still need help in closing the case.
“The family and police urge anyone who has reliable information regarding the murders, no matter how small or unimportant that information may seem, to please contact the police through their usual channels,” added Idsinga.
Police has also set up a direct email address to the case and tips can be provided via [email protected]
“This email address will only be accessed by police investigators directly assigned to the Sherman case,” Idsinga said. “I would encourage anyone who has provided tips in the past to the private investigative team to please re-submit those tips directly to the police,” he said.
Last October, the Sherman family established a Collaborative Reward Program to assist police in their investigation.
Should any tip or information lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who perpetrated the murders, the Sherman family – in consultation with the Toronto Police Service – will be responsible for dissemination of any reward money.
“It is important to note that Crime Stoppers is an anonymous reporting mechanism,” said Idsinga. “It is preferable under circumstances such as these to report any tips or information directly to investigators. The Sherman family would also like to thank the public and the media for their continuing support during this difficult time. They request that their privacy be respected. Accordingly, they will not be answering any questions at this time.”
Idsinga thanked the Sherman family for their continued support and patience during the lengthy investigation.
“Solving this case has always been the priority and responsibility of the Toronto Police Service and our thoughts are always with the victims and their loved ones,” Idsinga said. “Given that this is still a very active investigation, there is little by way of investigative details that I am willing to discuss.”
Anyone with information should call investigators at 416-808-7400 or email [email protected]. You can also leave an anonymous tip for police through Crime Stoppers Toronto at 416-222-TIPS (8477), by visiting 222tips.com, or by texting TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
