Four suicide deaths in New Zealand linked to Canadian man Kenneth Law

This story includes a discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, support is available 24/7 by calling Talk Suicide Canada (1-833-456-4566).

A coroner from New Zealand determined that four people who died by suicide received online packages from Kenneth Law, a man from Mississauga and former chef awaiting trial.

Law remains in police custody. He’s currently facing 14 counts of first-degree murder and 14 counts of aiding and abetting suicide. In December, police announced 14 new charges of second-degree murder.

According to Radio New Zealand (RNZ), a coroner revealed that three students, aged 18 to 21, and one 40-year-old personal trainer took their own lives between May 2022 and April 2023. Coroner Alexandra Cunninghame ruled that their deaths were found to be caused or assisted by the contents of the packages ordered from Law.

“Law is a Canadian who is accused of assisting suicides by enabling the distribution and marketing of materials online, and hosting discussion forums, for people considering suicide,” Cunninghame wrote, according to the New Zealand publication.

The Suicide Prevention Office requested that New Zealand internet service providers block access to Law’s website.

Law denies allegations

The 58-year-old was arrested in May and accused of running several websites that were used to sell sodium nitrite and other items that can be used for self-harm, shipping them to people in more than 40 countries.

Law has maintained that the products he sold were legal and that he is not responsible for what people do with them. Sodium nitrite, a substance used in meat processing, can be deadly if consumed in large doses.

Investigators believe more than 1,200 packages were sent out globally, with about 160 sent to people in Canada.

British police have said that they identified 232 people in the U.K., 88 of whom had died, who bought products from Canada-based websites allegedly linked to Law.

Law’s trial is expected to begin sometime in 2025.