It may be different in Canada than in the U.S. for some of these things.Q A reward is being offered to help capture a hit-and-run driver. If I provide the information that leads to the suspect’s arrest and ultimately get the reward, is it taxable?
— D.O., Torrance
A Generally, unless excepted by law, all income is taxable. The exceptions are limited, such as a qualified scholarship or money you received that is then transferred to a charity (which comes with additional requirements). Services or property you receive also is considered income, in which case a fair market value must be established for it.
The kind of reward you mention is income since it is money paid to you; however, if you had certain expenses associated with providing the information that led to the arrest, you may be able to deduct them. Bottom line: IRS Section 61 defines gross income as income from whatever source derived.
Ask the Lawyer: Are rewards offered for someone’s capture taxable?
Q A reward is being offered to help capture a hit-and-run driver. If I provide the information that leads to the suspect’s arrest and ultimately get the reward, is it taxable?— D.O., …www.dailybreeze.com
CANADA Canada - Barry, 75, & Honey Sherman, 70, found dead, Toronto, 15 Dec 2017 #18
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For tax purposes the 10 million would be deemed as income and therefore taxable. Ten million is a lot of money by anyone's standards, but as far as that sum, or any sum higher being motivation, I'm not so sure. I think FWIW, LE have a lot more information on this case than we know at this point in time.
casesensitive
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It appears that the $10 million dollar reward hasn't brought forth any tips worthy of evidence necessary to arrest anybody. I can't see raising the reward would make a difference. Obviously a hired killer wouldn't try to claim the reward. The fact that this huge reward should loosen lips, but hasn't, seems to denote that it was a professional hired hit, or a killer who never told anybody, or maybe told one close person who isn't interested in the reward, maybe due to loyalty or involvement, or benefitting in the deaths in some way. Most people would sing like a lark if they knew anything to get the reward. This has not happened. If LE close in on a perp, maybe someone close will talk.
It goes without saying that LE has info that we will never know, and wont know until a perp goes to trial.
It is interesting that in over 4 years so far, no one has been arrested yet over this murder even though they have many hundreds if not thousands of family members, friends, associates, colleagues, employees, etc. from whom someone should at least know something by now.
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Is this the murderer of Barry and Honey Sherman or are Toronto police chasing a ghost? - NOW Magazine
Four years on, a source close to the police investigation says the killer (or killers) of the billionaire couple may not even be in Canada
nowtoronto.com
Dec 17, 2021
''The 22-second clip – culled from about 2,000 hours of security camera footage collected from homes in the area of the Shermans’ former residence on Old Colony Road – shows someone in boots and a dark hooded coat walking on the sidewalk some 1.5 kilometres from the Sherman residence on the night of the murders.''
''A source close to the investigation who spoke to NOW suggests the perpetrator (or perpetrators) may not even be in Canada. This source theorizes that the murders were contract killings carried out by a foreign actor, perhaps from an Eastern European or Middle Eastern country, who was likely part of a criminal organization.
On a possible motive behind the murders, the suggestion in numerous media reports is that Barry Sherman had made enough enemies in his many legal and business dealings around the world to provide a motive for any number of people to want to kill him.
The source close to the investigation characterizes that as “pure speculation.” But there’s little doubt that the killings were intended to make a statement.''
''Contract killings are the most difficult to solve because they’re carried out by professionals and usually rely on the person who carried out the hit to turn in the person who hired them. This source says “that’s unlikely to happen in this case.”
Nobody is talking, because the stakes are so high. Criminal organizations, no longer just kill the witness/informer, they kill his or her extended family as well, to intimidate the people with knowledge.
There is a chance nobody will be arrested. TPS likely has a prime suspect, but probably they lack some key evidence to lay charges and get a conviction.
In some cases years down the road, after the prime suspect has died, there might be an announcement of some sort from Law Enforcement of the closing the case and the reasons why.
Lexiintoronto
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They would need some new information in order to update us, imo. They have said they received tips about the NW, hopefully at least one was useful.
I think close to the anniversary of the murders they may release more images of the NW, or tell us more about what they saw him do on cctv.
KD won’t be able to access any more court records, so he won’t have any new information to report unless something new develops, imo.
ETA: FWIW, I just checked the TPS website. Both murders are still considered active investigations, they aren’t cold cases.
Homicide- Toronto Police Service
www.torontopolice.on.ca
Homicide- Toronto Police Service
www.torontopolice.on.ca
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agathaholmes79
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I am not completely up to date on this case.
This couple did good in the community. Why would someone want them dead? Is there more than just money behind the murders?
Any murder is heinous, but to purposely have a couple killed due to greed is very plausible yet gruesome.
Has there ever been a timeline of the days or weeks months leading up to the murders? Was it a robbery? Were documents taken? Anything of value?
Were there any legal issues going on? Business deals that fell through? Family issues? Threatening letters? Property damage? Arguments with the neighbor(s)? anything that caused a ripple in their lives?
I do hope they can solve it considering the police are aware of those persons involved are not in the country of Canada, may they be caught soon.
This couple did good in the community. Why would someone want them dead? Is there more than just money behind the murders?
Any murder is heinous, but to purposely have a couple killed due to greed is very plausible yet gruesome.
Has there ever been a timeline of the days or weeks months leading up to the murders? Was it a robbery? Were documents taken? Anything of value?
Were there any legal issues going on? Business deals that fell through? Family issues? Threatening letters? Property damage? Arguments with the neighbor(s)? anything that caused a ripple in their lives?
I do hope they can solve it considering the police are aware of those persons involved are not in the country of Canada, may they be caught soon.
Lexiintoronto
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Welcome to WS!
I have to update it, but a timeline with links is here: Canada - Barry & Honey Sherman, Toronto, 15 Dec 2017 MEDIA, MAPS & TIMELINE *NO DISCUSSION*
The police haven’t told us if anything was stolen, but their home was robbed a year prior to the murders.
I personally think the motives behind the murders involved money, power and a disregard for their lives.
Their neighbours and many people loved them, but BS had some conflicts in business, with his son, and relatives seeking his fortune. HS had some issues with her children at times.
Do any of you think there's anything significant in the fact that both Barry & Honey were killed? They were both killed at different times. Was Honey killed only so that she couldn't interrupt the murder of her husband or was she a target as well?
It's just something I wondered about. It would seem more personal if Honey was a co-target.
It's just something I wondered about. It would seem more personal if Honey was a co-target.
agathaholmes79
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Thank you!! And many thanks on the update...but I could see why police haven't released information if they are tracking the killer(s).
Lexiintoronto
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I think the killer wanted both killed, I don’t think HS was an incidental target.
I did a small timeline (that I can’t find right now) of HS’s trips. She took two trips in the weeks prior to the murders. She arrived home from the latest trip a few days prior to her death.
She was set to be in Toronto for about a week and had a fairly full calendar. Then she was scheduled to fly to Florida.
So there were many nights BS was home alone and a relatively easy target, imo. I think BS’s routine was fairly predictable, but HS had a busy, varied schedule and was very sociable. The killer had to have followed HS closely in order to have found her on a night where it would just be her and BS home alone, imo.
agathaholmes79
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This is really interesting information. It sounds like it was an insider to the family. Maybe an assistant. someone that knew intimate details of the Sherman's lives - routines, alarm codes etc... the killer could have chosen any day of the week since HS was busy and travelling often. Was it just luck or coincidence( I dislike that word)?
what people had access to their house daily? a housekeeper, a gardener, assistants, chef? Were security checks done and was there someone new on staff?
I followed up a bit more. Strangulation seems to be a very personal violent crime. Seems passionate even. Being restrained would suggest that there could have been multiple people. Unless a weapon was used on them to make them compliant. The belts seem deliberate to constrict and make someone look at you or away from you. Were the belts from the house or brought there?
On the robbery from the previous year, what was taken? and what had happened? specific thefts or just a break in? Could someone place surveillance in their house without them knowing?
And why in their basement? is it symbolic? Did the Sherman's use the pool area for celebrations? why there?
Lexiintoronto
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This is the most I know or recall, hopefully others can answer, too—
-In his book, Kevin Donovan wrote that there had been 160 break-ins in the Shermans’ neighborhood in the year preceding the murders.
-a year prior to the murders, burglars broke through the Shermans’ skylight and left before HS arrived home. We don’t know what was stolen.
-HS had an assistant that worked at the home typically every day, but had Thursday and Friday off on the week of the murders.
-They had a housekeeper and gardener that worked part-time, and from court records it sounds like the housekeeper had a key and likely knew the security code. She was surprised to find that the alarm was not armed when she entered the home on the Friday following the murders.
-they also had personal trainers and massage therapists visit the home. (Primarily for HS.)
-Kevin Donovan (KD) wrote that a thin ligature consistent with a zip tie was used to kill the Shermans, in addition to the belts used in the crime. (In his book he wrote the belts could have been the ligatures used. More recently he wrote that the thinner ‘zip tie’ ligatures were likely used to kill them. The belts may have been used to restrain them and/or stage the bodies.)
-KD wrote that both belts were new and purchased by HS from Canadian Tire. They were identical except for size. BS wore one of the belts for the first time on the day of the murders. The other belt was left on a padded bench in his dressing area on the top floor.
-HS’s schedule was easily accessible as her electronic devices did not have a password, according to KD. But KD wrote that witnesses have provided statements or evidence about the Shermans being surveilled.
-I don’t know why the pool area was chosen, but it was at the very back of the basement. The pool hadn’t been used for years, but had been spruced up as the house was for sale. Some here have suggested it may be linked to their Jewish culture (water), or because it was a pool area the crime scene and the killer could be cleaned up easily.
FromGermany1
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Very, very well planned by the killer/s, it seems, otherwise the double murder would have been discovered too early. IMO
With Canadian tax, there are exceptions - not everything is "income." Monetary gifts, lottery winnings, and gambling (other than for professional gamblers) are exempt because they are not considered income. Reward monies may or may not be - haven't looked at the case law.Q A reward is being offered to help capture a hit-and-run driver. If I provide the information that leads to the suspect’s arrest and ultimately get the reward, is it taxable?
— D.O., Torrance
A Generally, unless excepted by law, all income is taxable. The exceptions are limited, such as a qualified scholarship or money you received that is then transferred to a charity (which comes with additional requirements). Services or property you receive also is considered income, in which case a fair market value must be established for it.
The kind of reward you mention is income since it is money paid to you; however, if you had certain expenses associated with providing the information that led to the arrest, you may be able to deduct them. Bottom line: IRS Section 61 defines gross income as income from whatever source derived.
Ask the Lawyer: Are rewards offered for someone’s capture taxable?
Q A reward is being offered to help capture a hit-and-run driver. If I provide the information that leads to the suspect’s arrest and ultimately get the reward, is it taxable?— D.O., …
Strangulation with a zip tie type of ligature is interesting. I'm not an expert, but it sounds like something an experienced killer would use to both control and immobilize the victims, then later kill them. It's also something they can easily conceal on their person and bring with them to the crime scene. OTOH, the use of the belts seems more like "staging" the deaths to make them appear to be suicides. Since the belts were there in the home, it sounds more like a spontaneous decision by the killer either during or after the murders. It seems odd the killer would change their mind about staging the crime scene and using BS's belts after they committed the murders.
If the man in the security cam video is the killer, its most likely there was only one killer. Is it also possible they were communicating with someone else via burner phone or something similar? If so, could that person have made the decision to stage the murders with the belts?
...
I was wondering if the pool area was used because it was the most remote part of the house. There it would be less likely anyone could look into a window or hear any noises coming from the house. It "worked" for the killer(s), unfortunately, allowing the crime to be undiscovered for a few days.
MistyWaters
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I don’t think zip ties indicate anything about the murderer’s experience, using that has become a modern method of strangulation in replace of rope.
The typical reason for staging is said to be deception of a crime scene. Would that be a spontaneous decision or something planned well in advance?
“A staged or simulated crime scene is the physical manifestation of deception. It involves the deliberate alteration of the physical evidence by the offender to simulate events or offenses that did not occur for the purpose of misleading authorities or redirecting the investigation.”
FromGermany1
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Were the 2 belts bought by HS at the same time just before the murder, do we know this? Why were these specific 2 belts used to "fasten" the victims to the railing?? Was it a coincidence, that BS was wearing one of the 2 belts and the other belt was just lying around? Probably there were more belts owned by the couple and only these 2 new belts were used - why? Does it say something about the killer? Was he (killer or client of hitman) perhaps present, when they were bought? Was it a second statement from the killer by using these 2 CHEAP belts?
Thinking ......
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