A mega-rich pharmaceutical company founder and his wife died of strangulation, and their demise is being investigated as a possible homicide, police in Canada have said.

Both Barry Sherman, 75, and his wife, Honey, 70, were reportedly found Friday hanging from the railing of a lap swimming pool in their $7 million Toronto home.

Barry Sherman, one of the richest people on the planet, founded the huge generic pharma company Apotex in 1974 and was chairman at the time of his death. The Shermans had four children.

On Sunday, Toronto police said they responded to a 911 call to the couple's residence at 11:44 a.m. Friday, reportedly from a real estate agent who was working for the couple.

Police then found the Shermans dead inside.

Autopsies perfomed on the couple found "the cause of death for both deceased was ligature neck compression," or strangulation with an object such as a rope, police said.

"Toronto Police Service Homicide has taken the lead in this suspicious death investigation," police said.

Constable David Hopkinson said, "The circumstances of their death appear suspicious, and we are treating it that way."

Read More...