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

[Dushi]

I think we can be sure that he did not live in the basement ...

One of the videos said (the local man) that Mr John lived on the ground floor

 

[Dushi]

Also, Francesca's car was driven to the first location, then another car took them to the final location. So unless Francesca willingly drove to the first location, more than one person would need to be involved.

Wondering about the large amount of money and whether Francesca and Drew had set up a meeting at the first location to settle a tab? Maybe they came up short? Seems like Francesca put aside her travel money and took the remainder with her for some reason. Maybe she knew that she couldn't risk the person taking her travel cash or she'd be stuck there? Maybe its not a coincidence that he new beau was a 6'6" ex marine? Maybe she felt the need for protection? And finally, if the threats made against her involved a real-estate deal, why wouldn't she alert the police? If the threats involved illegal activities on both sides, it would explain why it went unreported.

I haven't seen that
How do you know there was a second vehicle?

 

[andreww]

How do we know that two vehicles were involved?

It seems equally possible that they were abducted in their own vehicle (tampered lock on vehicle), driven to Chan Chen, dumped, and then the vehicle hidden in a sugar cane field on the North end of Corozal in Paraiso Village.

Good point.

 

[andreww]

Marijuana cultivation in Belize started in the districts of Corozal and Orange Walk in the 1960s. The marijuana boom was a response to declining sugar prices in the world market, and marijuana production and sale became a lucrative and financially rewarding business.[ii] Sugar cane growers turned to marijuana production as a way to make ends meet. However, marijuana production and narcotics sales did not end there. Belize’s perfect location as a drug transshipment point, its open borders, free trade agreements, and large, unpopulated tracts of land has provided significant opportunity for drug production and trafficking to thrive.

 

[Wondergirl]

For the record, Matus owned 2 properties in Belize.

 

[Wondergirl]

Matus was property manager for Boardwalk Developments in Toronto, according to her LinkedIn.

The area between the bar and her home was sense bush. That's why her friends took to the air to search for her.

Her good friend has a law enforcement background. I would think there will be quite a bit of pressure on this investigation. Let's hope they come up with the truth.

These poor people did not deserve to have their lives taken away.

http://heavy.com/news/2017/04/francesca-matus-drew-de-voursney-missing-belize/

ETA - Matus had NOT checked in yet for her flight according to the Stratford News and according to Global news, Matus DID check in.


http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/2017/04/29/ontario-woman-boyfriend-missing-in-belize-reports

Matus was due to fly back to Canada on a WestJet flight on April 26, but while she checked into the flight online, she never boarded the plane.

https://www.google.ca/amp/globalnews.ca/news/3419894/canadian-woman-dead-belize/amp/

 

[andreww]

I find it odd that there are virtually no hits on Boardwalk Developments or on Francesca the real estate agent. She really has no traceable past after about 2009.

 

[andreww]

Another question, why the need for the friend to drive Francesca to the airport? Why wouldn't Drew drive her? He was going to be there for another week and he had access to Francesca's vehicle. So many things just don't add up.

 

[dotr]

rbbm
Wondering if Francesca became aware of something criminal going on and was warned not to call LE, but others learned that she and Drew knew something and they were murdered to ensure they stayed silent?
Speculation, imo.

http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2017/05/04/police-confirm-canadian-woman-american-boyfriend-were-strangled-to-death

A Canadian man who rented the bottom half of slain snowbird Francesca Matus’s sprawling seaside property in Belize is being held by cops, according to media reports.

Channel 5 Belize said that the ex-pat — known only as John — disappeared Saturday. Police sources said he was being held on another criminal matter.

Cops were questioning two men in the sickening slayings that have ripped apart the tiny beachside community of Corozal.

They appear to be turning their attention to the tight-knit expat community of 300 in their quest for justice.

Olivarez described a man who had mysterious comings and goings.

“Every morning he goes out and he doesn’t come back until the night or evening,” he said. “Mr. John lives over there but I don’t know about his family.”
The handyman added that John “was helping the other white guys because he went to rent an airplane. And he was flying all over here and seeing what’s going on, but then I don’t see him again.”

A memorial service was slated for Thursday at Scotty’s Crocodile Cove bar

 

[zencompass]

In my opinion, this attack was well planned. Once it is discovered what the motive was, they will have the perpetrators.

After the celebration at the bar, the victims would have been relaxed and having had a few drinks, not as vigilant as perhaps they usually would be. They would have been focused on each other and the trip the next morning.

The strangest part to me (aside from one of them being a Marine who was 6 foot 6 inches) was that the cause of death is said to be strangulation, not gun shots.

Very sad for their family and friends. It's obvious how loved they were.

 

[zencompass]

Also, it will be interesting when the results come back with the fingerprints testing from the vehicle.

I was so glad to hear that the F.B.I. is involved as well.

Thank you everyone for posting all of the current and detailed information on this thread. I've learned more from you all than from just checking MSM.

 

[LayzeeDayzee]

Lower tenant ... did I read that there was a tenant "living in the basement"?

I highly doubt that there are basements in a sea level, tropical home in an impoverished country - so if anyone said that someone was living in the basement, it must be a mistake.

Nobody ever said "living in the basement." All that's been said is that the tenant "John" lived in the lower level of the house. It's a 2 story house. Lower level is like the main floor, then there's a 2nd storey

 

[dotr]

https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/...stioned-in-belize-death-of-toronto-woman.html

Canadian questioned in Belize death of Toronto woman

Police say the man is not necessarily considered a suspect, but is being questioned because he may have known Francesca Matus and her American boyfriend.

“We are allowed to hold him for 48 hours. You can hold somebody legally for 48 hours during questioning and if there’s no evidence that you can find that links that person to the incident then of course that person has to be released.”

Martinez said several factors could determine why Corozal police would detain certain individuals in connection with its investigation.

“For some reason or the other, they probably know the persons who passed or associated with them in some form or the other, or probably in the area last seen around them at the time of their disappearance,” he said.

 

[zencompass]

One of the original news articles used the word "basement" but was corrected almost right away. I thought it was odd when I first read it as well. I went back to read it and poof the word was changed to two : "lower floor".

Otto - I agree in that environment there wouldn't be basements !

 

[frisson]

This is so strange in that something seems missing from the story.

No one wanted the car, but took the battery and the keys?

This happened on the last night of her stay (but not the last night for him bc he was leaving a few days later).

They were out at the bar to say goodbye to friends? (So folks knew they were leaving and when).

There was a flat tire? But we don't know when it happened.

Maybe whoever thought both were to deart on the same day,

....which brings me to.... why wasn't the bf going to drive her to the airpoert? Why the other guy? (The one who, I believe, IIRC, reported them missing and that their luggage or hers was still there. )

Maybe some of this is a slip in reporting, but his luggage wouldn't be with hers bc he wasn't leaving yet. (?)

He was a huge man and ex military. There had to be a weapon to subdue him or catch him by surprise and knock him out or otherwise incapacitate him. Yet they were strangled.

There were previous threats made to her, but these were not reported to police. Maybe bc the threats CAME from someone in LE? (Sorry. It happens in places.)

Autopsy done on scene. Just bizarre.

Before this, I had had a wonderful idea of Belize. I actually thought it was a wealthy area, Maybe I'm thinking of 20 years ago though. Things change.

This couple looked so happy. What a sad horrific end.

 

[frisson]

I'm having trouble with the edit button. Sorry for the typos. I'll try to be more careful.

Anyway, I wanted to say that when I first saw the story I initially thought that maybe someone took them and wanted one or both to transfer funds to someone's account. ....thinking they'd have a couple of days to get it out or whatever. And that local friends would just think that they'd both left the area and were not missing. NOw I'm just confused.

I also wonder if they had the flat tire after leaving the bar, trying to get home in which case it could be just an opportunity type thing, or if the perp had the flat while dumping the car. But this seems a little too planned - the duct tape for starters.

 

[Dushi]

Raphael Martinez, a spokesperson for police in the northern Belizean town of Corozal, said the Canadian is one of “several people” in police custody who are being questioned but are not officially considered suspects.

Martinez said police would not identify the Canadian, confirm his age or clarify whether he lives in Belize unless charges are laid.

https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/...stioned-in-belize-death-of-toronto-woman.html

 

[dotr]

Previously it was stated that the threats were only made to Francesca, if the couple part is true, wondering how/if that would change the motive for the murders? speculation, imo.
rbbm
https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/...d-connection-murder-canadian-american-couple/

....they are investigating some threats made to the couple.

http://www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-...ents-in-death-of-canadian-in-belize-1.2584205

It's been revealed that Matus was subjected to threats in the days leading up to her disapearance. Police are calling them "open threats" and make a point of saying they were not threats against her life. And the threats were only made to Matus, not the boyfriend.

 

[PoirotryInMotion]

She had her jewellery
Don't know what kind of jewellery she wore, but I think it would be taken in a straight forward robbery

If a simple robbery, yes. A robbery-murder, it'd have to be some pretty enticing jewelry. (We don't know if it was costume jewelry, do we?) Having or exchanging a personal item like that would definitely link a suspect to a murder. Not worth it unless she was sporting a 2-carat diamond and killer had a ready fence he could trust.

 

[dotr]

Published on May 4, 2017

For the latest news across Belize, visit:
http://edition.channel5belize.com/

[video=youtube;fMRVFW5T0FU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMRVFW5T0FU[/video]