Death of Hamilton woman linked to Canadian facing 14 murder charges
Monday, 19 August 2024
The suicide of a Hamilton woman has been linked to a Canadian man who is facing a total of 14 first-degree murder charges, as well as 14 counts of aiding and counselling suicide.
The link between the death of Liana Nicole Kirk and Canadian man Kenneth Law was revealed in the report into her death by Coroner Alexandra Cunninghame.
Law is understood to be linked to four deaths in total in New Zealand, and according to the BBC, British police have also linked him to 90 deaths in the UK.
Kirk died in Hamilton on November 30, 2022 after a history of mental health challenges and substance abuse.
According to the Coronial report, in September 2022 Kirk “ordered an item online from a business which New Zealand police have confirmed is connected with Kenneth Law”.
“Mr Law is a Canadian who is accused of assisting suicides by enabling the distribution and marketing of materials online, and hosting discussion forums for people considering suicide.”
Details of the item involved cannot be reported due to legal suppressions.
The report also revealed that in August 2023 the New Zealand Te Mana Whakaatu Classification Office deemed eight discussion threads from forums associated with Law as objectionable under the Films, Videos and Publications Classification Act.
“It observed that the statutory tests for objectionability was cleared ‘by some margin’ and that it would take significant changes to the publications for them not to be objectionable.
“The Suicide Prevention Office has taken steps to consult with New Zealand Internet Service providers to request that access to Mr Law’s website is blocked based on the Te Mana Whakaatu decision.”
Cunninghame also noted a working group has been established in the wake of a joint inquiry into six other suicides in New Zealand using the same method as Kirk, with the aim of coordinating a joint approach to the issue, “including online sales from overseas”.
She also noted that as Law lives in Canada, “his activities are outside the jurisdiction of the New Zealand Courts, and I do not make any recommendations that are directed towards his activities”.
“I am satisfied that it is not necessary for me to make further recommendations or comments pursuant to the [Coroners] Act. Other agencies are already working together to reduce the risk posed to vulnerable New Zealanders by Mr Law’s activities.”
The report notes Kirk’s suicide on November 30, 2022, came in the wake of mental health issues that first arose when the 21-year-old was in her teens.
She had also started using methamphetamine and MDMA.
Kirk was found at her grandmother’s house and despite CPR efforts was declared dead at the scene.
She left a handwritten note that “expressed her love for her family”.
“I am satisfied that Liana died by suicide,” Cunninghame said.
“Her note to her family sets out her reasons for wanting to end her life. In order to cause her death she had obtained [suppressed]. This suggests a degree of forward planning, even if there may have been a degree of impulsivity around the time that she chose to die”.
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