RismadarVoice Reporters
September 23, 2026
Families of people whose deaths were linked to Canadian man Kenneth Law have described the lasting impact of their losses as a court began hearing victim impact statements ahead of his sentencing for aiding suicide.
Law pleaded guilty in May to 14 counts of aiding suicide after prosecutors decided not to proceed with murder charges connected to his online activities.
Dozens of relatives are expected to address the court over several days in Newmarket, near Toronto, describing how the deaths affected their families.
“I cannot stop thinking that my little girl will never come back,” Maria Lopez, whose 18-year-old daughter, Jeshennia Bedoya-Lopez, died in 2022, said in a statement read in court on Wednesday.
Jeshennia’s father, Leonardo Bedoya, said the family’s hopes for the future disappeared with their daughter’s death.
According to an agreed statement of facts signed by prosecutors and the defence, Law supplied products to customers in numerous countries through his online operation.
Some relatives have expressed anger over the decision not to proceed with murder charges, arguing that Law should face greater legal responsibility for the deaths.
Prosecutors are expected to seek a substantial prison sentence for the offences to which he has pleaded guilty.
Adrienne Ryan, whose brother Maurizio Vadala was among those whose deaths were linked to Law, told the court that the loss had permanently changed her life.
“I’m no longer the same person I was before my brother died. Grief is now part of everything I do,” she said.
Stephen Mitchell, whose son Stephen Jr. died, described him as a vulnerable young man experiencing depression who needed support.
“My son was a depressed, vulnerable, and sometimes immature youth. He was ill, and he needed help,” Mitchell told the court.
“Mr Law robbed my son of that chance to be healed.”
Justice Michelle Fuerst has allocated four days for victim impact statements and other evidence before determining Law’s sentence. The date for the sentencing decision was not immediately clear.
Law was arrested in 2023 following investigations into his online activities. He subsequently maintained that individuals purchasing his products ultimately made their own decisions.
Court proceedings are continuing, with further relatives expected to give statements about the impact the deaths have had on their lives and families.
