Belize - Francesca Matus, 52, & Drew De Voursney, 36, murdered, Corozal, 25 Apr 2017

[PaxBelize]

People don't realise how many criminals such as child sex abusers, fraudsters and others move to small countries like Belize, where they can get away with their activities amongst a relatively trusting community. As for sucking our resources, there aren't really many to suck and they tend to escape for the most part.

 

[MaryG12]

Good afternoon. I live in Belize. I am an immigrant. I've been here well over a decade. This murder, like all murders in Belize, is a tragedy for the community, friends and loved ones. Even though double and multiple murders are common in the USA and there were probably several during the same week there, it seems that people enjoy the 'trouble in paradise' theme and become particularly interested in murders that happen in beautiful and exotic places.

I note that there are a lot of misconceptions and misunderstandings about Belize in discussions on this topic and I am happy to answer any questions. We all want the murderers brought to justice as much as anyone else does. There really is no conspiracy to pin this on a non Belizean. Just to put it into perspective there were two very nasty murders committed (allegedly as they haven't been prosecuted yet) upon Belizeans by Canadians in the past couple of years. One was very close to my home but the suspect fled the country before he could be prosecuted. The other is still in custody for beheading a local pastor. So, it's not all a one way street. The truth is that most victims of crime in Belize are poor Belizeans and most murder victims are young Belizean men, mainly in Belize City.

Our police force are sorely underfunded (cops earn between 100 & 200 USD a week for the most part), under trained, poorly resourced and many have to second jobs to survive. We have almost no forensic capabilities and the morgue is tiny. Normal practice is to cremate any decomposed bodies as quickly as possible, not to hide evidence, but simply because there is no place to keep them. There are no embalming services or anything of that nature.

To understand why Belize law enforcement is so poorly funded, please try to imagine running a country on taxes from a population of people smaller than most USA towns. Maybe 30-40% of Belizeans pay tax. Half of Belizeans are under 18. Unemployment is high.

Belizeans are kind, intelligent, hard working and friendly people. They are very upset about this. They do not hate foreigners - although there will always be some horrible people who will say horrible things just like everywhere else. Foreigners are not targeted for being foreign. Some are targeted for perceived wealth combined with not being careful about the sort of people they let into their lives. The freedom and anything goes type vibe that people are attracted to in Belize means that some people leave their brains on the border and start to think it's cool to hang out with those on the fringes of society who seem to want to be their friends.

If anyone has any questions for me that will help them clear up confusion, I'll do my best to answer as factually and truthfully as I can. What I will say is that it is unlikely that a conviction will ever happen and if it does, it may well be an unsafe one as we just don't have the policing skills to make it happen here yet. We're a very young country. We only got independence some 36 years ago. Try to imagine what things were like when the USA was only 36 years old. Can anyone say 'wild west'.

Welcome to PaxBelize thank you for that insightful post.

Much of your post could very well have Florida substituted for Belize - what with the amount of crime, sex offenders, illegal drugs, the problematic "Stand Your Ground" law, child *advertiser censored*, animal abuse, transient criminals which are a serious problem, in what some people like to call "paradise."

In short, I feel for you, PaxBelize, I truly do, and you'd be surprised at how many people here in Florida call it the Wild West as well as us locals nicknaming it "The Outlaw State."

Yeehaa

 

[PaxBelize]

Timing.
https://www.belizehub.com/air-canada-launches-new-direct-flight-belize-toronto/

Belize is a very popular destination for Canadian tourists and retirees. I doubt this murder will have any real impact on tourism to Belize as the kind of people who are attracted to Belize, for the most part, are well traveled, open minded, have done their research and have an adventurous spirit. They realise that while this was an awful crime, there are awful crimes in many places. If people based their visits to the USA on the number of mass shootings that occur there and believed it would somehow affect them as tourists, no one would visit the USA either.

 

[PaxBelize]

Welcome to PaxBelize thank you for that insightful post.

Much of your post could very well have Florida substituted for Belize - what with the amount of crime, sex offenders, illegal drugs, the problematic "Stand Your Ground" law, child *advertiser censored*, animal abuse, transient criminals which are a serious problem, in what some people like to call "paradise."

In short, I feel for you, PaxBelize, I truly do, and you'd be surprised at how many people here in Florida call it the Wild West as well as us locals nicknaming it "The Outlaw State."

Yeehaa

I really appreciate that, but there's no need to feel bad for me. I live in a truly stunning place. I've had opportunities here to do things I could never have imagined and am surrounded with the most loving Belizean friends. It's tough when our tiny little country gets bad press, but I am inclined to believe that most people are rational enough to realise that sadly, most crimes, everywhere are ignored. It's only when there is a fascinating story, and often a beautiful woman or child involved, that people's curiosity is piqued.

 

[otto]

I'm not ready to accept that Belize is a nice place with great people. Stories like this are common.

2014
"Brian Townsend had been working as a Christian missionary in Belize for the past nine years, building schools and friendships with people in the Valley of Peace.

He was first reported missing on Christmas Day. The 64-year-old had hired a chef to cook a Christmas dinner and when she arrived, Brian's truck was missing and his house had been ransacked. The chef spotted a trail of blood outside the home and alerted the authorities.

...

A Canadian missionary's body was discovered in Guatemala, reportedly covered in chop wounds from a machete."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...rtedly-chopped-****s-belize-article-1.1565705

"Police say they believe some kind of confrontation occurred in Townsend’s home in Belize, and he was robbed of clothing, a laptop and his Chevy Silverado truck, which has yet to be found."

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/c...ry-brian-townsend-police-say-man-was-murdered

Suspects (neighbours) Dead - case closed

2014
"A TV station in the Central American country of Belize is reporting that two men wanted in the murder of a 64-year-old Canadian missionary have been found dead.

News 5 in Belize City said Wednesday that the suspects in Brian Townsend’s death were murdered in separate incidents.

The TV station says Raulito Balona was shot to death in the village of Arenal in the last few days [Feb], and his brother, Marlon, was found Jan. 19 on a feeder road with neck and chest wounds.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...belize-found-murdered-report/article16846197/

 

[frisson]

Something is still missing from this story.

Do we know what the threats were exactly to FM? and from whom?

 

[Indy Anna]

rbbm
http://amandala.com.bz/news/canadian-american-lovers-strangled-death/

I don't remember seeing anywhere else that Matus had sold her home in Belize. The article makes it sound as though that info was divulged only to the Amandala. So, I wonder if it's true. However, going back to the theory that the perp wanted people to think that Matus had returned home to Canada as planned, that info could be misinformation leaked to the press by the killer(s). If they broke in to her home and removed her passport and luggage, no one would have known she hadn't returned to Canada. But, another friend was supposed to drive her to the airport. Plus, DD was with her when she was driving back to her home in Belize from Scottie's which also may have not been anticipated.

If someone erroneously spread word that Matus had sold her home, then no one would even expect Matus back. If she hadn't informed any of her friends about a move, they wouldn't know if she was planning to return to Belize, moving in with DD or moving elsewhere in the community. Would like to hear from Matus's friends in Belize to confirm whether it's true that Matus was selling her house there. If the bodies and car had been burned as the murderer(s) had intended, there would be no trace of Matus. Of course, it was poorly thought out if that was planned because she wasn't home when her ride came to take her to the airport, there would be proof she didn't board the plane, and her friends and family in CA would know something was amiss when she didn't show.

But, can't help wondering if the supposed "theft" at the casino was related because it seems like too much of a coincidence. If Matus had been involved in the casino but left because she discovered some corrupt business there and had her friend recover some of the equipment, it might make sense that those shady business partners and murderers would steal the deed to the house, claiming Matus sold it to them, as a way to reclaim the "stolen" property (stored on her property) to avoid exposure and prosecution. I wouldn't blame JD for being afraid and fleeing the home, then, when he heard Matus and her BF were missing.

Don't know if any of this makes sense. But, it's possible that the plan backfired only due to some details the murderer(s) didn't anticipate. JMO

 

[Hazel]

Canadian John Deshaies, Charged For Theft, Denies Involvement In Double Murder
posted (May 5, 2017)

http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=40233


Charged for Theft and a Person of Interest for Double Murder, John DeShaies Denies Both

[video=youtube;wr3rfm7NZwU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr3rfm7NZwU[/video]

 

[Satchie]

I really appreciate that, but there's no need to feel bad for me. I live in a truly stunning place. I've had opportunities here to do things I could never have imagined and am surrounded with the most loving Belizean friends. It's tough when our tiny little country gets bad press, but I am inclined to believe that most people are rational enough to realise that sadly, most crimes, everywhere are ignored. It's only when there is a fascinating story, and often a beautiful woman or child involved, that people's curiosity is piqued.

Thanks for joining! Very true observation about which murders get publicized and which ignored. I'll only half defend myself by saying, I'm mostly interested in understanding how such a thing could happen to a person somewhat like myself (Canadian, not the well off/beautiful part).

I think some people may be jumping to the conclusion that simply traveling to Belize will instantly put anyone into the danger of having this happen to them. I strongly disagree. I would prefer if people could understand that, where ever you go, there are dangerous circumstances and safe circumstances.

In Canada, hanging out with Hell's Angels is a very dangerous thing to do. So is getting romantically involved with a violent domestic abuser. In Belize, I think it's dangerous to walk around certain city neighbourhoods. It's also dangerous for women walk alone in remote places, and probably for men to walk around alone after dark.

But this is a crime where, I think, neither Francesca or Drew were doing anything dangerous. I think there was something else going on, particular to their circumstances, which brought them into danger. It's as yet a mystery, I can't readily think of a scenario that would explain it, so I follow it to see if the mystery is resolved.

I wanted to ask someone living there, is duct tape a commonly used product by ordinary people, would you know? Do they sell it in little Mom and Pop stores?

 

[Indy Anna]

I'm not ready to accept that Belize is a nice place with great people. Stories like this are common.

2014
"Brian Townsend had been working as a Christian missionary in Belize for the past nine years, building schools and friendships with people in the Valley of Peace.

He was first reported missing on Christmas Day. The 64-year-old had hired a chef to cook a Christmas dinner and when she arrived, Brian's truck was missing and his house had been ransacked. The chef spotted a trail of blood outside the home and alerted the authorities.

...

A Canadian missionary's body was discovered in Guatemala, reportedly covered in chop wounds from a machete."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...rtedly-chopped-****s-belize-article-1.1565705

"Police say they believe some kind of confrontation occurred in Townsend’s home in Belize, and he was robbed of clothing, a laptop and his Chevy Silverado truck, which has yet to be found."

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/c...ry-brian-townsend-police-say-man-was-murdered

Suspects (neighbours) Dead - case closed

2014
"A TV station in the Central American country of Belize is reporting that two men wanted in the murder of a 64-year-old Canadian missionary have been found dead.

News 5 in Belize City said Wednesday that the suspects in Brian Townsend’s death were murdered in separate incidents.

The TV station says Raulito Balona was shot to death in the village of Arenal in the last few days [Feb], and his brother, Marlon, was found Jan. 19 on a feeder road with neck and chest wounds.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...belize-found-murdered-report/article16846197/

No surprise that the suspects were murdered. Lawless types tend to associate with other lawless types. JMO

 

[otto]

Something is still missing from this story.

Do we know what the threats were exactly to FM? and from whom?

At the time that threats were discussed, police said they no longer believed it was a robbery, but instead believe it is related to a land deal that soured.

I think that means that the threats were not about murder, but were about land/money.

 

[otto]

No surprise that the suspects were murdered. Lawless types tend to associate with other lawless types. JMO

OR police decided that the neighbours must be guilty. Although the neighbours must have been questioned, they were not arrested. When they turned up dead in two separate incidents within two months, police could deem the case closed ... and they did.

The problem is that these types of murders did not end with the death of those two suspects. We have a Quebecois filmmaker, a 57 year old woman from Vancouver (also killed the night before she flew home), the Edmonton Missionary ... all in the last few years. Now we have Francesca Matus. That's a lot of dead Canadians in Belize with no arrests, trials, or convictions.

 

[dotr]

[h=1]Ross Kemp on Gangs - Belize[/h]

Published on Mar 1, 2017
[video=youtube;vgcjDyZPkE4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgcjDyZPkE4[/video]

 

[Satchie]

I'm not ready to accept that Belize is a nice place with great people. Stories like this are common.

2014
"Brian Townsend had been working as a Christian missionary in Belize for the past nine years, building schools and friendships with people in the Valley of Peace...a confrontation occurred in Townsend's home in Belize, and he was robbed of clothing, a laptop and his Chevy Silverado truck, which has yet to be found."

Home invasion is, IMO, the most serious risk for expats or snowbirds living in Mexico and Central America. Just a few weeks ago, a retired Canadian living in the Baja was killed in a home invasion, in spite of having nothing much of value and basic security on his home. Most expats do whatever they can to improve their home security, but it's a risk they just have to accept. If were to happen a lot in an area, people would leave or stop moving there.

If Drew and Franscesca had been killed in a home invasion, I think the story would have barely registered in the media, and I would just feel sad for them, rather than following the case on websleuths.

 

[Hazel]

https://www.facebook.com/breakingbelizenews/posts/895718747232788:0

There's a comment by MH, who doesn't appear to know the couple, and doesn't mention how he knows what he is saying, so could be just him speculating.

 

[otto]

The Threat

"Milholen revealed to the media that he saw Matus’ packed suitcases, passport and travelling money inside her home. All was in order at the house where she had lived for the last four years."

...

While there are conflicting reports as to the number of suspects arrested, Senior Superintendent of Police, Dennis Arnold, has only confirmed the detention of one man. He is a Canadian national identified as John Deshaies, who was a tenant of Matus, our sources revealed.

Information to our newspaper is that he was not pleased with her decision to sell her home. We are told that she had already identified a buyer and had successfully negotiated the terms of the sale.

Senior Supt. Arnold revealed that threats were recently made against Matus. However, he was reluctant to share details and no official police report had been made."

http://amandala.com.bz/news/canadian-american-lovers-strangled-death/

 

[frisson]

Do we know why DD was not going to take her to the airport? Why the other dude?

This is so strange. Do we know who was at the goodbye party/gathering at that bar? A couple of people - a large crowd?

I feel like someone got them driving home. I'm trying to keep up and may have misread.

 

[Indy Anna]

https://www.facebook.com/breakingbelizenews/posts/895718747232788:0

There's a comment by MH, who doesn't appear to know the couple, and doesn't mention how he knows what he is saying, so could be just him speculating.

Another poster, JT, dispute that information. A lot of conflicting views on there.

 

[Gardenista]

I don't understand people from Belize defending the horrible crime rate in their country.

 

[otto]

If Francesca sold her home, she would have a paper trail from Belize to Toronto. Her computer wasn't stolen. Documents related to a house sale would be there.