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

[dotr]

Perhaps related in some way? speculation, imo.
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/c...ions-with-guatemala-over-soldiers-killing-boy

[h=1]Canada helping Belize with defence policy amid tensions with Guatemala over soldiers killing boy[/h]

August 28, 2016

Top military officers from Belize came to Ottawa in February for meetings and to receive advice from the Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces on their country’s future defence strategy.

Belize is embroiled a border dispute with Guatemala, which deployed 3,000 troops in April to a disputed area between the two countries.

Canada’s role in Belize’s security has increased over the years because of concerns Mexican drug cartels were making inroads in the country.

The Canadian Forces has delivered non-lethal aid – binoculars, military clothing, helmets and boots – to Belize security forces. Canadian special forces teams have also helped train the BDF.

“Belize is of growing importance to the Canadian government due to the increasingly precarious security situation in Central America, particularly along the Belize-Mexico border,” the department said a March 2012 briefing note prepared for then-defence minister Peter MacKay.

 

[andreww]

Just some random thoughts...

- FMs Isuzu's damage does not look like impact damage, more like it was run off the road
- DD has a serious looking head wound
- FM receiving threats

Seems like it had been an interesting last few weeks. I get the feeling that this crime is the result of something that had been escalating quickly.

 

[Dushi]

Just some random thoughts...

- FMs Isuzu's damage does not look like impact damage, more like it was run off the road
- DD has a serious looking head wound
- FM receiving threats

Seems like it had been an interesting last few weeks. I get the feeling that this crime is the result of something that had been escalating quickly.

Yes , I do too
There is nothing random about it
I would be rather surprised if drugs were involved.
I tend to lean toward land or property
I certainly wouldn't want to try and purchase anything there, based on what i am reading
And if the casino equipment was stolen, I wouldn't want it on my property

All MHO

 

[Kophy]

Just some random thoughts...

- FMs Isuzu's damage does not look like impact damage, more like it was run off the road
- DD has a serious looking head wound
- FM receiving threats

Seems like it had been an interesting last few weeks. I get the feeling that this crime is the result of something that had been escalating quickly.

Perhaps - Just playing devil's advocate here.

There are no marks, or indentations to the side of the vehicle - just that headlight, bumper and license plate. Not sure it's a good idea to try to run people off the road head on - wouldn't it usually be a sideswipe?

The guy who mentioned the head wound said he got it diving earlier in the day. Nothing to indicate otherwise.

My gut tells me that the "threats" were made by the neighbour who has no love lost for JD. The police haven't elaborated on them other than to say "open threats" and the community knew what was going on.

If this was an escalation of events that caused either Francesca or Drew concern, surely they would have mentioned it to someone? Drew was in constant contact with his close friends and family and this seems to have hit them as out of the blue. Francesca's family haven't spoken publicly but apparently she has a very large extended Italian family. If they fit the stereotype like my Italian friends, they are very close and loving as well.


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[Dushi]

Drew was coming back home
Any idea when he made that decision?
Does he still own his land?

 

[Kophy]

Drew was coming back home
Any idea when he made that decision?
Does he still own his land?

I can't answer your first question.
But the land was purchased with the friend who started the campaign. I don't have the link - sorry - but I found that info very early on. As far as I know, the friend is still down there, so I imagine he's doing what is necessary to protect his own interests as well as Drew's estate.


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[PaxBelize]

Just an update from local news, which isn't very reliable, but I'm sharing nevertheless. It seems I may be wrong (or not - we'll see) about FBI's involvement, though I honestly cannot see how the FBI can close a border between two countries that are not the USA. Very odd. If they find the murderers, that's great, but this may just be news based on rumour. http://www.ambergristoday.com/news/2017/05/11/fbi-shuts-down-belizemexico-chactemal-bridge#

"Reports coming in from Mexico, Sur Caribe online news indicates that the international Chactemal bridge (Old Bridge) connecting Mexico and Belize was closed today Thursday, May 11, by the FBI due to binational operations being carried out in the Corozal Free Zone.The operations also extend to 14 communities along the Río Hondo that are being conducted in connection with investigations of the recent murder of American Drew Thomas DeVoursney and his girlfriend, Canadian Francesca Matus, according the the Mexican news outlets."

If this is the case, it truly would be a first. I should stress, that this isn't an 'official' border crossing but the old bridge that was used.

USA citizens sadly lose their lives all over the world but the FBI isn't usually involved. Things that make you go hmmm.

 

[neesaki]

Just some random thoughts...

- FMs Isuzu's damage does not look like impact damage, more like it was run off the road
- DD has a serious looking head wound
- FM receiving threats

Seems like it had been an interesting last few weeks. I get the feeling that this crime is the result of something that had been escalating quickly.

The possibility of road rage incident occurred to me, but then the method, strangulation, doesn't fit with that, IMO. This seems more personal to me, jmo.

 

[Kophy]

If this is the case, it truly would be a first. I should stress, that this isn't an 'official' border crossing but the old bridge that was used.

USA citizens sadly lose their lives all over the world but the FBI isn't usually involved. Things that make you go hmmm.

I'm clueless about operational procedures. But my head immediately went to: Maybe they've identified another suspect, are preparing for an arrest and trying to prevent that suspect from fleeing to Mexico by closing off the unofficial crossing.


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[PaxBelize]

I'm clueless about operational procedures. But my head immediately went to: Maybe they've identified another suspect, are preparing for an arrest and trying to prevent that suspect from fleeing to Mexico by closing off the unofficial crossing.


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Things that make you go hmm.

 

[dotr]

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...lize-murders-is-innocent-girlfriend-says.html

“Francesca didn’t have no problems with John, John didn’t have no problems with Francesca,” Lizarraga said. “John, he is innocent. He didn’t do this.”

Deshaies was out of town when Matus disappeared, Lizarraga said, but returned to Corozal to help with the search efforts. She and Deshaies left for San Ignacio, in west Belize, a few days later, but then got a call from a friend saying police had found the bodies and wanted to talk to them.

Lizarraga said she and Deshaies went to the police station in Belize’s capital, Belmopan, to give their statements.

“He told the cops everything that he knew … the cops didn’t believe him, they detained both of us and since then, the cops think that he had something to do with it and they have him as a suspect,” Lizarraga said, adding that she was questioned for three days then released.

Lizarraga also said the theft charges against Deshaies are unfounded, explaining that he was an employee of the casino and had been told to remove the electronics so they could be used at another location.

 

[Wondergirl]

Just an update from local news, which isn't very reliable, but I'm sharing nevertheless. It seems I may be wrong (or not - we'll see) about FBI's involvement, though I honestly cannot see how the FBI can close a border between two countries that are not the USA. Very odd. If they find the murderers, that's great, but this may just be news based on rumour. http://www.ambergristoday.com/news/2017/05/11/fbi-shuts-down-belizemexico-chactemal-bridge#

"Reports coming in from Mexico, Sur Caribe online news indicates that the international Chactemal bridge (Old Bridge) connecting Mexico and Belize was closed today Thursday, May 11, by the FBI due to binational operations being carried out in the Corozal Free Zone.The operations also extend to 14 communities along the Río Hondo that are being conducted in connection with investigations of the recent murder of American Drew Thomas DeVoursney and his girlfriend, Canadian Francesca Matus, according the the Mexican news outlets."

If this is the case, it truly would be a first. I should stress, that this isn't an 'official' border crossing but the old bridge that was used.

USA citizens sadly lose their lives all over the world but the FBI isn't usually involved. Things that make you go hmmm.

Excellent.

http://surcaribenoticias.com/index.php/2017/05/11/cierra-el-fbi-la-frontera-con-belice/

 

[Wondergirl]

Deshaies is doing “terrible,” Lizarraga added.

“I can’t take clothing for him, he’s still got the same clothing from the day they arrested him,” she said. “I don’t want to go back to (Matus’s) house … I’m afraid to go there right now, I don’t want nothing do to with that, so I can’t go and get clothes for him.”

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...lize-murders-is-innocent-girlfriend-says.html

 

[Wondergirl]

[FONT=&amp]According to data collected in a surprising way, a helicopter of the Federal Police Division Caminos, began to fly over the border community of Subteniente López, territorial limit between Mexico and Belize, where first it was thought that an operation would be carried out by federal instances for Stop the people who are engaged in the so-called ant traffic of goods, tobacco and liquor, coming from the Free Zone.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]However, it was later discovered that police officers in Belize maintained a comprehensive security system in the free zone, in the face of the suspicion that the alleged homicides of the couple who were found in an area of ​​sugarcane District of Corozal, located just 35 kilometers from Chetumal, the state capital whose bodies showed signs of torture.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]Fr. John Deshaies, 54, has been investigating for the past 15 days in which the facts have been recorded by staff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Canadian nationality, ex-wife of Francesca Matus with whom she fathered two children; However, all these investigations are kept under complete secrecy.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]It is worth mentioning that another version that circulated with this operation is that the so-called merchandise ant traffickers have exceeded the security and capacity of the customs authorities established in the new and old bridge of Subteniente López, where not only they are trafficked with merchandise, liquor and Tobacco, but with weapons, drugs and undocumented immigrants, which has become one of the juiciest businesses for people related to drug trafficking and organized crime. (Fuente Quequi)

https://translate.google.ca/transla...bi-la-frontera-con-belice/&edit-text=&act=url[/FONT]

 

[Wondergirl]

[FONT=&quot]De Paso newspaper in Chetumal has confirmed Closing of the Santa Elena Border since yesterday afternoon.

[/FONT]

https://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubb...border-closed-since-yesterday.html#Post523506

https://translate.google.ca/transla...anta-elena-border-closed-since-yesterday.html

 

[Wondergirl]

https://www.facebook.com/LDFChetumal/photos/pcb.1668801749816606/1668800293150085/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/LDFChetumal/

 

[dotr]

Coincidentally, the JM story airs tomorrow night on 20/20.
http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Scoop-2020-on-ABC-Friday-May-12-2017-20170511

The hour also includes interviews with Eileen Keeney, Faull’s mother; Janice McAfee, McAfee’s wife; and Nanette Burstein, “Gringo” filmmaker. “20/20” airs on FRIDAY, MAY 12 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network.

After the financial crash in 2009, McAfee decided to move to Belize. Faull claimed the dogs McAfee owned were a threat, and Faull was found dead the day after he allegedly poisoned them. McAfee claims that the Belize government was after him, because he would not pay bribes, and that Faull’s murder was somehow part of that plot. “20/20” has reached out to the Belize government for comment. Last year, “Gringo” featured an interview with Cassian Chavarria, the caretaker of McAfee’s property, who claimed that McAfee hired a hit man to kill Faull. Later, Chavarria retracted his statements. Burstein claims that McAfee paid him to retract his statements while McAfee claims Burstein paid Chavarria to make false statements in her documentary.

 

[Wondergirl]

Need some help watching these daily news video's out of Belize on this quite useful blog (they are in English).

I've only skipped through a couple, and the talk about land and properties is prevalent. It's a MAJOR issue in Belize, I would have to say (in keeping with what we have already heard.)

FWIW

https://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubb...y-tv-news-other-news-programs.html#Post395470

 

[B00Mer]

[h=1]Keswick woman murdered in Belize remembered as 'amazing' person at Richmond Hill funeral[/h]

 

[Wondergirl]

This video is a must watch from 7:00 minutes to 12:00 minutes.

It shows the very sandy laneway that goes to the mature sugarcane field that was about to be burned.

It clearly states that BOTH sugarcane fields were about to be burnt - the field with the vehicle AND the field with their bodies. I was always a little unclear about this.

It clearly shows JD's GF's SUV being examined by LE as well.

[video=vimeo;216606902]https://vimeo.com/216606902[/video]