A worldwide probe is underway after Canadian Kenneth Law was charged with murder, accused of selling so-called suicide kits online. Law is alleged to have marketed and sold deadly doses of a chemical substance typically used as a meat preservative to individuals in over 40 countries, with the purpose of self-harm. Parents of victims claim their children's deaths could have been prevented had these toxic packages not been available for purchase.
Tom Parfitt and Noel Ramirez are two such victims, both dying after ingesting the deadly chemical from the suicide kits. Parfitt died in 2021 in England, and Ramirez passed away the following year in Colorado. Law was subsequently charged in Ontario with 14 counts each of second-degree murder and counselling and aiding suicide, although his lawyer stated that Law would be pleading not guilty to all charges.
Investigations to date indicate that Law may have sold more than 1,200 of the hazardous packages across the globe. Law enforcement agencies worldwide continue to collaborate in the ongoing inquiry. The British National Crime Agency has reported at least 89 deaths in the UK alone within a recent two-year period, linked to the purchase of the toxic packages.
Several US lawmakers are working on legislation banning the sale of the substance in high concentrations. For the time being, though, it is still obtainable online in the US and numerous other countries. Meanwhile, devastated families firmly believe that their children would still be alive if it were not for the deadly substance they bought online.
Law is to appear in court later this week in Canada, where he remains in custody. While no charges have been filed outside of Canada as yet, the investigation continues to uncover the extent of this horrifying international issue. Probing into Law's motivation revealed that many believe his actions were profit-oriented and driven by a misguided belief in alleviating people's pain. The substantial second-degree murder charges imply that authorities believe Law played a role in the actual deaths of these individuals.
