A man from Barrie, Ont. has been detained in connection with the deaths of a Keswick, Ont. woman and her American boyfriend in Belize earlier this month.
John Deshaies, 54, has been questioned by local police and named a “person of interest” in the suspected murders of Francesca Matus, 52, and Drew DeVoursney, 36, in Corozal, Belize.
Matus and DeVoursney’s bodies were found bound in a sugar cane field on May 1, six days after they were last seen leaving a local bar. Police in the Central American country said the couple died from strangulation.
Deshaies has been renting the lower level of Matus’ waterfront property in Corozal with his girlfriend and children for the past two years.
As he left a bail hearing for separate charges, the Canadian man proclaimed his innocence to reporters gathered outside the courthouse.
“We’ve always been good friends,” Deshaies said. “There’s absolutely nothing I’ve ever done to hurt her.”
The construction worker said he assumes he’s being questioned about the deaths because he lives in the same house as Matus.
“Otherwise, there’s nothing that ever happened between us to make anybody think that,” Deshaies said.
Deshaies told reporters that he’s fully co-operating with the FBI investigation into the couple’s deaths.
“They’ve taken my DNA. They’ve taken my vehicles. They’ve checked my entire house. There’s no reason why I would need counsel,” he said.
The Barrie, Ont. man has not been charged in relation to the suspected murders.
Deshaies is facing charges of theft and possession of stolen property in relation to $50,000 worth of electronics allegedly stolen from a casino in Placencia, Belize two months ago.
