PLACENCIA, Stann Creek District, Fri. May 5, 2017–Canadian national John Deshaies, 54, who, according to our police sources, was one of the suspects in the Corozal double murder of fellow Canadian national Francesca Matus, 52, and American national, Drew Devoursey, 36, was in police custody since Tuesday afternoon.

Within 48 hours after being detained, he was charged by police. However, the charges against him were not brought by Corozal police, nor were the charges connected to the double murder, but instead he was charged by Placencia cops for another incident.

Deshaies was charged with theft and handling stolen goods in connection with the theft of over $50,000 worth of electronic items from a casino in Placencia in March. Deshaies, a construction worker, was employed by the casino at the time.

On Thursday, police conducted a search at his residence in Corozal, where some of the items were allegedly retrieved.

Today, Friday, Deshaies appeared unrepresented before Magistrate Yolanda Demoya at the Independence Magistrate’s Court, and was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until November.

Before being transported to prison, Deshaies spoke to the media. He denied any involvement in the double murder and further denied the charges of theft brought against him.

According to Deshaies, he is being wrongly accused.

Information to our newspaper is that after Matus and Devoursey were reported missing, Deshaies was nowhere to be found.

Over the last two years he had resided at the lower flat of a house in the Consejo Shores area of Corozal, owned by the deceased, Francesca Matus.

We had learnt from sources close to her that she was planning to sell the building and was already negotiating the selling price with an individual.

Belizean authorities will be assisted in their investigation of the double murder by FBI investigators who today arrived in Corozal, and are already on the ground.