British Sister Testifies Against Poison Seller in Canadian Court

Adele Zeynep Walton, the sister of Aimee Louise Elif Walton, a 21-year-old British woman who died after ingesting poison purchased online, testified in an Ontario, Canada court. Adele Zeynep Walton recounted how her sister died in a hotel room on October 14, 2022, in the company of a stranger she had met on an internet forum dedicated to suicide discussions.

Kenneth Law, 61, a Canadian man accused of selling poison online, is facing charges in Canada. While Law has pleaded guilty to counts related to Canadian victims, the 79 UK victims, including Aimee Louise Elif Walton, are part of the broader case against him. Law sold approximately 1,200 packages to individuals in 40 countries from websites based in Canada. Aimee Louise Elif Walton had purchased an illegal substance for $269 on multiple occasions between June 2022 and September 2022.

Adele Zeynep Walton stated that the stranger had traveled from America to be with her sister and had been staying with her for 11 days leading up to her death. "She died in a strange place, in a strange city, in the company of a stranger," Adele Zeynep Walton told the court, her victim impact statement delivered via video.

British authorities informed the victims' families that Law would not face criminal proceedings in the UK due to potential challenges under 'double jeopardy' laws. Adele Zeynep Walton and other relatives of British victims have criticized this decision, stating that "doors have been shut" on their pursuit of justice. She has called for a public inquiry in the UK to examine how the British state allowed such deaths to occur and to prevent future tragedies.

According to the National Crime Agency, Law sent a total of 330 products to the UK, reaching 286 individuals. The court heard that Law owned four companies, one of which offered an "instruction set" and telephone consultations for $150. He reportedly used the online alias "Greenberg" to direct individuals to his websites through forums where suicide was discussed. The maximum sentence for aiding suicide in Canada is 14 years, a penalty also applicable in the UK for encouraging suicide. Given the number of victims and the nature of the offenses, Law's sentence in Canada is expected to exceed 14 years.