Kenneth Law pleads guilty to 14 charges of aiding suicide, murder charges to be withdrawn

David Parfett, father of victim Tom Parfett, speaks out on the Crown’s decision to clear murder charges against Kenneth Law.

Poison seller Kenneth Law has now pleaded guilty to 14 charges of aiding and abetting suicide, as murder charges against the Ontario man will be withdrawn by the Crown.

Law pleaded guilty to the charges in a Newmarket courthouse on Friday morning.

Law was arrested in 2023 in connection with 14 deaths in Ontario after he was accused of aiding and abetting those suicides by supplying the victims with the chemical sodium nitrite, which is typically used to preserve meat but is deadly when consumed in high concentrations.

At the time of his arrest, police said Law sent more than 1,200 packages to 41 countries, selling the deadly chemical and other items that can be used for self-harm through multiple websites.

The youngest victim in Ontario was just 16 years old.

Murder charges previously laid against Law will be withdrawn, Crown attorney Peter Westgate said Friday, as a previous court ruling made it impossible to proceed with those charges.

“This is the binding authority in Ontario. The decision makes a murder prosecution in this case impossible,” he told the court.

“It is our obligation to assist with a reasonable prosecution in light of all charges before the court.”

As Law confirmed his guilty plea on each count, family members of the victims sat quietly looking on, as some cried and others shook their heads.

Westgate will read out the agreed statement of facts in the case, an undertaking that is expected to take hours, the court heard.

---

If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with mental illness, here are some resources that are available.

Canada Suicide Crisis Helpline (Call or text 988 or visit 988.ca)

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (1-800-463-2338)

Kids Help Phone [phone])

If you need immediate assistance call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2026.