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

[Satchie]

FBI Shuts Down Belize/Mexico Chactemal Bridge

The article says: " ... John Deshaies, 54, of Canadian nationality, ex-husband of Francesca Matus with whom he fathered two children ..." (... John Deshaies, de 54 años de edad, de nacionalidad canadiense, expareja de Francesca Matus con la que procreó dos hijos; ...)

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

I think that's a good indication of how reliable that particular source is!

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[LayzeeDayzee]

Wow. You'd think if he was in fact her ex husband and the father of her twin sons that that would have been come out way before this? Has to be just more crappy journalism but it does make you stop and wonder?

FBI Shuts Down Belize/Mexico Chactemal Bridge

The article in Spanish contains TWO "details" that are not in the English version. Although, it could have been a misunderstanding or lost in translation.

ONE: A few of the original news articles reported that the bodies showed "obvious signs of trauma".

Here is one of those articles:

In today's news, the article in Spanish states that the "bodies showed signs of torture" (cuerpos presentaron muestras de tortura.)


TWO: The other "detail" that caught my attention, and it could be a mistake, it's possible they confused FM's sons with JL's kids (lthough JL's kids are not John D's).

The article says: " ... John Deshaies, 54, of Canadian nationality, ex-husband of Francesca Matus with whom he fathered two children ..." (... John Deshaies, de 54 años de edad, de nacionalidad canadiense, expareja de Francesca Matus con la que procreó dos hijos; ...)

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

 

[Satchie]

FBI Shuts Down Belize/Mexico Chactemal Bridge
http://surcaribenoticias.com/index.php/2017/05/11/cierra-el-fbi-la-frontera-con-belice/

Doing a bit more research, the headline is also wrong in that the modern Chactemal Bridge is not closed, however an old secondary bridge has been closed to vehicles, tho pedestrians can still cross. The new bridge has technology for reading license plates, I believe.

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with this case.

http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/146118

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[Hazel]

I saw that post by that person on FB too. It was on the Belize expats FB page , but cannot find his comment right now. Hee had stated that JD had not paid his rent was MH who lives outside of Calgary, Alberta. Judging from his FB page he is a senior fireman. What he knows or how he knows JD is beyond me.

You can find the link here: #475

 

[LayzeeDayzee]

Doing a bit more research, the headline is also wrong in that the modern Chactemal Bridge is not closed, however an old secondary bridge has been closed to vehicles, tho pedestrians can still cross. The new bridge has technology for reading license plates, I believe.

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with this case.

http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/146118

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Wow, how shameful to make such glaring mistakes. There's just no excuse for that.

 

[Wondergirl]

Not sure about that either. Apparently there was a body in the back seat of the missing school teacher's burnt out vehicle, which they believe is that of the missing woman, but because there is no DNA lab in the country, they have sent out samples to try to verify it. But as PaxBelize has been telling us, that will take some time and it's probably pretty rare that they are even doing it.

I think the chances are pretty good that the body in the back seat was likely the owner of the vehicle. Now why she was in the back seat and why the driver(s) were taking her and her vehicle to Belize City is anyone's guess.

MOO

https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2017/05/09/closure-pamela-linos-family/

The driver of the suv turned around when they saw a roadside block and a pursuit entailed. LE then came across the vehicle burning.

Have to get caught up later on this case.

Throwing it out there because the dates are so close.

Maybe the teacher knew something she shouldn't have or as going to do something.

She's an IT teacher fwiw.

 

[Wondergirl]

So other then the crusty older neighbor Mr R, who alleges that JD had not paid rent in months, has anyone else confirmed this to be true? A few days ago I was on the Belize Channel 5 News FB page and someone there with initials "MH" or "MR" (first name Mike) went off big time about how JD was a shameful Canadian because he hadn't paid rent in months and that JD was evil and should essentially rot in heII. At the time, I thought this was way "out there", and someone asked this guy for proof of his allegations but there was never a response. THis was all before Mr R was interviewed and made the allegation that JD and FM had been fighting about him not paying rent.

By the way, I must have missed it.....where has it been reported (and is there a picture?) that DD had an obvious head injury prior to going missing?

I posted the exact link with the expat bar patron interview where he said he told Drew to get his head checked before going home that evening from the bar.

It's up thread in one of my posts earlier in the week.

Hth

 

[Wondergirl]

I think that's a good indication of how reliable that particular source is!

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Please know that Google translate is only so good. ..

I believe it's lost in translation there.

I posted it to verify about the bridge with the picture and it's on multiple Mexican websites

 

[PaxBelize]

I've now had it from a very reliable source that the FBI had nothing to do with the bridge closure and the story is 'fake news'. It was a collaboration between the Mexican and Belizean authorities and had nothing to do with the murders but with illegal activity happening in the Corozal Free Zone. Sadly, as I expected. Including the FBI and making it about the murders sure does get them lots of hits though.

 

[Kamille]

The driver of the suv turned around when they saw a roadside block and a pursuit entailed. LE then came across the vehicle burning.

Have to get caught up later on this case.

Throwing it out there because the dates are so close.

Maybe the teacher knew something she shouldn't have or as going to do something.

She's an IT teacher fwiw.

Well if she was embroiled in a land dispute, that might have something to do with it. Looks like she commuted to work about a 40km drive from Santa Elena into the capital of Belmopan. Not sure where she was car jacked from but the vehicle was headed east towards Belize City when it turned around at the Hattieville checkpoint.

Which makes me wonder. I've never been to Belize but I have been to Mexico. I know there are checkpoints along the highway through Quintana Roo but I don't know where they are. Obviously the locals would know about them. So who may have been driving the missing woman's vehicle who did not know about the one at Hattieville?

MOO

 

[Kamille]

I've now had it from a very reliable source that the FBI had nothing to do with the bridge closure and the story is 'fake news'. It was a collaboration between the Mexican and Belizean authorities and had nothing to do with the murders but with illegal activity happening in the Corozal Free Zone. Sadly, as I expected. Including the FBI and making it about the murders sure does get them lots of hits though.

That makes more sense...thanks for the info. I don't see these murders being related to the illegal drug trade or any other illegal smuggling between the two countries. My only question with regards to the border was wondering if this was a hit by someone, whether it may have been carried out by Mexican nationals who ditched the car close to the border and returned to Mexico.

MOO

 

[neesaki]

Is it possible that FM reported JD for the casino theft ? Also very possible someone else would be involved in such a theft, maybe he was involved in a mini crime ring of sorts. Just a thought, such a strange thing for it not to be connected somehow.

 

[Dushi]

Is it possible that FM reported JD for the casino theft ? Also very possible someone else would be involved in such a theft, maybe he was involved in a mini crime ring of sorts. Just a thought, such a strange thing for it not to be connected somehow.

I find it strange as well
I don't get the "stolen" articles being in his house.
If he was hired to remove them, why hasn't the person who hired him come forward?

 

[andreww]

I find it strange as well
I don't get the "stolen" articles being in his house.
If he was hired to remove them, why hasn't the person who hired him come forward?

Also the fact that the police happened to know about it when FMs body was found. I wonder if the person who ordered JD to remove the equipment got cold feet when they saw him on TV involved in a murder investigation?

 

[andreww]

That makes more sense...thanks for the info. I don't see these murders being related to the illegal drug trade or any other illegal smuggling between the two countries. My only question with regards to the border was wondering if this was a hit by someone, whether it may have been carried out by Mexican nationals who ditched the car close to the border and returned to Mexico.

MOO

I feel that at the very least, that was the impression the killer was trying to give.

 

[frisson]

This feels like a hit to me. We just don't know why yet.

It also feels like they want to pin it on the downstairs tenant. Seems too easy to me.

 

[andreww]

A couple of questions...

Does anyone have details as to where DD was living?

Is there any evidence that FM was going to sell her house? Did this come from the conversation between JD and FM that the neighbour overheard?

Just seems odd that she would even be thinking of selling it given that she had just started a new relationship and by how much she seemed to love Belize. Could this have just been a ploy to get JD out? Or possibly the threats were starting to become a little too real?

 

[Kamille]

I find it strange as well
I don't get the "stolen" articles being in his house.
If he was hired to remove them, why hasn't the person who hired him come forward?

The whole casino "theft" thing is off as it is. According to the early reports, LE had been "investigating" this "theft" since March. So if one partner stole from the other, for whatever reason (someone mentioned the possibility of starting another casino) and used his "employee" (JD) to remove and "store" the items, then it is the other partner who is actually the "thief". And it makes sense that they wouldn't have wanted the items to be stored anywhere that is connected to them. Which is probably what JD is trying to say without actually saying it because that puts him at risk. He probably does know why the items were taken but he's sure not going to be ratting anyone out. Perhaps he was hoping that his "employer" would come up with a plausible explanation as to why he asked JD to remove and store the items. However, in that scenario, of course the person who "hired" him to remove the items is not going to come forward to help out JD as he was actually the one who stole the items.

So it's possible that when LE starting investigating the murders, they went to FM's home and saw the stolen items in JD's apartment. And he was out of town so they had to get him to come in to the police station to explain. And when he and his girlfriend got word that LE wanted to speak with them, they apparently did voluntarily go to the police station...well according to her anyway. They both had ample opportunity to actually leave the country if they knew JD was guilty of theft and/or murder. His girlfriend also claims that he took LE to the apartment to show them the items but it's likely they already knew they were there. And didn't believe his explanation for why they were there.

I know things are entirely different in Belize but it would be pretty hard to take anything from a casino without an owner or manager being aware of it. They are pretty much known for extensive security and surveillance. Although from the news video that I saw regarding the casino, they showed a building that looked like it was still under construction so I'm not even sure if these items were from an up and running casino.

At the same time LE were getting stories from the neighbour about the confrontation he claims JD had with FM regarding rent. So it's likely that they were putting things together about JD the same way as we have here. But I think if we've learned anything about the country so far, it's that it's kind of a scary place if you know too much, have too much (or something someone else wants) or are too trusting of the people you're dealing with.

So it's pretty apparent that JD is on his own in this. No one is going to take the risk of sticking their neck out for him if he is a good "patsy" for someone with a lot more "influence" in the community. Whether that be for the casino theft or for the murders or both. I think that's why there is so much silence from the expat community regarding him or the murders in general. Just keep your head down and mind your own business if you want to live peacefully in the country.

Or...

JD personally stole the items from the casino while it was under construction and not under heavy security because he needed money even though he had no one to sell them to quickly so he still had them hanging around his home a couple of months later. I would think there would be other items that he could have stolen that he would have been able to find a quick buyer for if he was working construction. And he was so desperate for money to pay his rent that he could not come up with, before his "good friend" FM kicked him out, that he decided the best way to deal with his situation was to murder her and her 6'6" ex marine boyfriend to buy some more time to live in his home. Even though both FM and DD were leaving the country within days and wouldn't be there to make sure he had moved out anyway.

MOO

 

[Wondergirl]

The FBI were in Mexico investigating the murders.

They have gone now.

Indeed the Bridge was closed due to alcohol and tobacco smuggling in the free zone between the 2 countries.

Regrettably, the 2 events (FBI in Mexico investigating and the Bridge being closed) were lost in translation - or as some people like to assess - "fake" news. I'm not one for that term myself. Speculation is more the correct term, let's say.

I was very hopeful, but, now am fearful that it is as has been asserted previously. Not likely that the murders will be solved. BLAH

WG

 

[andreww]

This feels like a hit to me. We just don't know why yet.

It also feels like they want to pin it on the downstairs tenant. Seems too easy to me.

Or it was the downstairs tenant trying to make it look like a hit. Can work both ways. Its hard to pin a crime like this on someone. What if JD was home with his GF all night, or if he never left Scotty's? If I was in a country with a lot of drug crime and an inept police department, I'd make it look like a drug hit as well. But the question becomes whether DD or FM had any involvement in drugs? So far the answer is no.

Another thing that bothers me about JD. If you start at FMs Facebook page and start creeping through friends and friends of friends, you will see a lot of Deshailes listed. Not one of them has mentioned JD, and only one of them posted the missing persons poster on their page, but they never commented about it. Its just very odd.