Sherman Murders: Bloomberg's Bespectacled Campbell
Much to talk about.
Back to the Sherman file, for a while.
Bloomberg’s Matthew Campbell has arrived back on scene after a nearly five year hiatus. He dropped a new piece on the probe yesterday. The article is as well-written and captivating as Campbell’s first.
A small treasure of Campbell’s coverage is his choice (or his editor’s) of title. I’ll endeavor to match the aesthetic he’s found with my upcoming long-form profile on Sherman - (I have mentioned it before. We are in copy-editing now, the latest draft on my desk at the moment. I think readers will get a kick out of it).
Anyways, back to Bloomberg for now. A fantastic piece, and summary, and update. There is a lot of new information, much of it focused on family dynamics, if you will. Campbell indeed has some source we should care about. Maybe multiple sources. This article is a significant step forward in coverage of the case itself.
Campbell comes to us honestly, a well-travelled, and evidently well-read, and well-talked to journalist following the case from afar.
But as far as Campbell’s current posting may be from Toronto, he’s rooted there in many ways. Some of these roots may well be causative when it comes to his sourcing abilities in a case that has been all but locked down as of late. Getting family and friends to talk is one thing, investigative sources offering new information is a bit different. He may have both.
A few key takeaways from my point of view:
The sourcing itself. There is a lot of new information that has not seen the light of day. This speaks to the mounting interest in the case, but also likely to the loosening up of sources close to the case. It is hard to make anything of the latter point.
Campbell writes: “Brandon Price, a young homicide detective with sharp features and close-cropped brown hair, drove to the scene.” Price has received so little attention, despite being but another prominent feature of the saga. The description differs greatly with how I’d describe Price at the walking man press conference. He looked pretty tired and spent in December of 2021.
Several new photos related to the case appear in the piece. We have retained one of the photographers Campbell uses for our article in order to perfectly capture the vibe, and of course, Barry Sherman himself.
Campbell underplays his association with the Sherman family. He was a year apart from the lone Sherman son when they attended school. And their parents were “well-acquainted” according to past comments made by Campbell himself to the CBC. This may not be all that important, but perhaps important to remember when digesting the undeniable message and overall tone of the article.
Campbell writes: “With Barry Sherman gone, that drama entered a new, bare-knuckle phase.” He ties this point up and really shoves it in your face in a new way. Readers will walk away from the piece with a different taste for the case.
A deep dive on Frank and Barry, with a lot of new information and context.
Campbell writes: “It appeared that Sherman dropped his belongings just past the side door he’d used to enter from the sunken garage—perhaps the location where he was attacked." I’d remove the word perhaps. Of course perhaps, but come on.
Campbell writes: “In December 2018, shortly before the first anniversary of the killings, Jonathon asked Kay for a meeting. He was polite but firm, informing Kay that his employment at Apotex was over.” This is a decidedly rosier view of the exchange between Kay and the son than has been offered before. The piece also sources private emails between the son and his sisters. A potential clue for sourcing, but don’t hang your hat on it.
The rift between the two siblings most involved in the case is quite real and tangible. That stuff is not made up. We haven’t received clarity on the specifics until now. The discrediting of the sister’s concerns by police is also new.
The brave and bespectacled Campbell adds his name to a long list of journalists, online sleuths, and podcasters who largely leave out one of the most intriguing, interesting (they are different) and captivating angles of the story. More to come on that when our piece drops. Online soon-ish, magazine print in October.
A real hit piece on the incompetence of Toronto police - akin to the phrase Steve Jobs deployed effectively when commenting on having iTunes installed on Windows: “Like giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell.”
I picked Ann Brocklehurst’s brain on Campbell’s work. She had some great reflections and called it a good piece. She added that she hopes it cracks things open even more.
Me, too. It’s about time.
Postscript
The article is also narrated on Bloomberg’s site. All of it is pay-walled, but a subscription is reasonably priced for these purposes. Again, pretty great writing.
I'm looking forward to seeing your article Dennis! As an aficionado of true crime for over 4 decades, this case is truly one of the more intriguing ones that I've read up on. I hope for the victims and their loved ones that it's solved soon.