TORONTO, CANADA – An arrest in Ontario, Canada, has led to charges against alleged poison seller Kenneth Law. The charges include at least one first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of a young woman. The case has seen a significant shift since Law was initially charged with abetting suicide. He now faces a total of 14 counts of second-degree murder as well.
Law, 58, is accused of operating websites that sold a potentially lethal substance to clients at risk of self-harm. According to CBC News, his products are suspected of being connected to at least 124 deaths worldwide, with the majority occurring in the United Kingdom. Canadian authorities have recently shared new intelligence with British investigators, suggesting that Law had sent out more packages containing suicide paraphernalia than initially thought.
It is not clear how many of the second-degree murder charges will be upgraded to first-degree, nor when Law will make his next court appearance. York Regional Police Insp. Simon James, who co-ordinates the sprawling Ontario investigation, mentioned that the second-degree murder charges stemmed from unspecified evidence that had come to light.
If found guilty of first-degree murder, Law faces an automatic life sentence with no possibility of parole for 25 years. Law, a former hotel cook, has been in custody since his arrest in Mississauga, Ont. He has been linked to numerous deaths worldwide, and authorities in different countries, such as the U.K.’s National Crime Agency, have been involved in the investigations.
The Ontario case has sparked international interest, as police have confirmed their own probes in various locations across Canada, following reports of deaths related to Law’s alleged actions.
The victims of Law’s alleged poison sales have been as young as 16, sparking outrage among parents and communities affected by the deaths. One set of parents described their 18-year-old daughter as their only source of joy and hope. They hope that Law spends the rest of his days behind bars, given the devastation he has caused.
In response to the case, Law’s lawyer, Matthew Gourlay, clarified that his client intends to plead not guilty to the charges. Gourlay explained that in Canada, there has never been a prosecution for abetting suicide, where the conduct in question is selling an otherwise-legal product on the open market.
In light of the devastating impact of Law’s alleged actions, authorities and families are urging individuals struggling with mental health to seek support. The case has brought to light the importance of addressing mental health issues and preventing the online sale of substances that can be used for self-harm.