Partner of military veteran imprisoned in Belize calls on Canadian government for support
The partner of a Canadian military veteran who is in a Belize prison is calling on the Canadian government for help.
According to police in Belize, Canadian Armed Forces veteran J.R. Smith was behind the wheel of a getaway car used moments after a mass shooting at a nightclub on July 31 that left two dead and eight others injured.
Denise Hepburn, Smith's partner, says that he is being treated "like an animal" in prison.
"He needs help," says Hepburn.
Hepburn maintains that her partner is innocent and was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Smith has spent more than 10 days behind bars in a Belize prison.
Smith's girlfriend says he saw a lawyer today for the first time since police in Belize arrested and charged him with abetment to commit murder. Police then upgraded the charge to murder following a July 31 nightclub shooting that killed two people and injured eight more.
Hepburn retells the chaotic night, saying that Smith heard gunfire and saw everyone running and screaming.
"Everybody was pouring out of this one door of this place, and he said I didn't stick around to see what was happening. He said I just wanted to get these people out of there," Hepburn explains.
She says Smith was in his pickup truck when he heard gunshots nearby. Seconds later, he told Denise, a young woman and two young men jumped into his truck.
The 43-year-old, who served in Afghanistan, owned a cabinetry-making business in New Lowell after retiring from the military. He also mentored retiring soldiers in skilled trades.
He now fears for his safety in prison in Belize. Hepburn said Smith has been physically abused while in prison.
"He's been beaten. He's had a bag, plastic bags put over his head. He said he almost passed out a couple of times. He had to be taken to the hospital because they kicked him in the stomach so hard, and he just had an emergency appendectomy a couple of weeks before that."
CTV News contacted police in Belize, who said any interviews with Commissioner Chester Williams must be done in person.
In an interview with CTV News over the phone, a police official said he was unaware of Smith's case.
In a statement, Global Affairs Canada said:
"We are aware of a Canadian who has been detained in Belize. Consular officials stand ready to provide consular assistance and are in contact with local authorities for additional information."
Denise says Smith had moved to Belize in March to build a home after he was forced to close his business due to COVID-19 lockdowns and other restrictions.
"I don't even want to know how much more difficult they can make it for him," Hepburn says.
Denise says Smith remains in a police prison alone, desperate for help and answers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.