Murder in Belize: Canadian held as person of interest

A Canadian man is being detained in connection with the killing of an ex-Marine from Atlanta and his girlfriend in Belize.

Authorities called John Deshaies a "person of interest" in the killings. He has been charged with stealing from a local casino in an unrelated case, police said, and sent to prison south of Belize City.

Drew DeVoursney, 36, and Francesca Matus, 52, were found dead on May 1 in a sugar cane field. They were last seen leaving a local bar together and had been missing for several days.

Drew DeVoursney, a Marine veteran from Georgia, did two tours in Iraq and worked as a military contractor in Afghanistan. His body was found Monday along with the remains of his Canadian girlfriend, Francesca Matus, in northern Belize. Police are still investigating the killings. CONTRIBUTED

Matus was Deshaies’ landlord in Corozal, a northern Belize city close to the Mexican border. Matus lived in Keswick, Ontario, and owned some properties in Toronto as well as a home in Belize.

Deshaies has denied involvement in the killings, telling local television reporters, “Not at all; she is a very good friend of mine. Absolutely not.”