Sask. family still torn over unsolved homicide of Dallas Martens in Honduras

Five years after Dallas Martens was shot to death in Honduras, his unsolved homicide continues to haunt his grieving parents and shadow his widow, Krissy Larsen-Martens, who remains a person of interest to investigators.

Martens' parents and widow no longer speak to each other, their relationship soured by the ongoing mystery surrounding the man's death and allegations that Krissy, who has steadfastly maintained her innocence, played a role in the crime.

Martens was shot multiple times by unknown assailants Sept. 18, 2009 on the tropical island of Roatán, Honduras.

Despite their estrangement, the parents and widow do agree on one thing: the only way they will get closure is through a proper investigation and conviction in the case.

"From the day they're born, you fight for your kids," Verna Martens told CBC News in an exclusive interview, the parents' first media interview since their son's death. "I want truth and justice. He is my son and I want justice."

Pete and Verna Martens pay tribute to their son in very personal ways. At Christmas they hang his stocking. On his birthday they prepare his favourite meal of sausage with cream gravy. On the anniversary of his death they keep a candle burning.

As well, once a month on the 18th, the couple sends an email to 26 Canadian and Honduran authorities imploring them to continue their work on the file, hoping officials will push her son's case forward.

"Most of all, I want truth," the man's mother said. "I want truth and I want justice, because there's been so many lies."

Widow lacks confidence in Honduran authorities

His widow, Krissy Larsen-Martens, told CBC News this week that she has sought "inner peace" as she doesn't expect Honduran authorities to solve the case or clear her name.

"It's still a challenge every day, trying to move on and trying to rebuild your life," Larsen-Martens told CBC News. "Because these things always creep back in and they pop back up. It doesn't matter where you go."

"I don't believe that we're ever going to find out what happened in this case," she added.

Violent robbery or murder-for-hire?

CBC News has examined many documents relating to the case and conducted numerous interviews of people associated with the couple to learn more about what is alleged to have happened.

From the beginning, inconsistencies and changing stories have supported two competing scenarios: a random robbery that turned violent or a planned scheme to hire a contract killer.

The couple were newlyweds in 2009 when, in July Dallas, 31, and Krissy, then 26, left their jobs and life in Martensville, Sask., and moved to the tropical island of Roatán, Honduras. The object was to speed up the adoption process for a baby named Will.

In a statement to police, Krissy says that on the night of Sept. 18, 2009 the couple went to look at a property that they were considering purchasing. They arrived at the property and, as they walked towards the unlit house on a secluded road using the headlights from their running vehicle to light the way, unknown assailants attacked them. Krissy said Dallas lunged forward to protect her, but the attackers grabbed her purse and US$1,000.

Krissy has also offered different recollections of what happened next, saying Dallas either ran back to their car, or was pushed into the car, where he was shot three times inside the vehicle.

The police report noted Dallas's wallet and Krissy's purse were both found in the car.

According to a number of sources, however, the trip to a secluded property is problematic. The sources have told CBC News that the house was still under construction and had not yet been listed for sale.

Friends also insist that Dallas had no intentions of buying property on the island.

"I spoke to him less than 24 hours before he was killed and he flat out told me he was itching to get back in Canada," said Don Miller, a friend from Martensville, who told CBC News he spoke to Dallas — via video on Skype — the night before he died.

Krissy addressed that issue saying the Roatán residence, if they bought it, was going to be a vacation home to keep their adopted son connected to his roots.

In the days after the attack, Krissy also told friends and family that she hugged Dallas in the car before running for help. Witnesses from that night, however, said she didn't have blood-stained clothes.

"Until you're put in that situation you think that you would remember every detail," Krissy explained. "You have a memory of how things happened and that might not necessarily be exactly the way things happened."

Investigators get a tip

Three days after the shooting, a local crime commission — comprised of foreign nationals living on the island — said they would offer a reward (which was later set at $7,000) to help solve the case.

One day later, investigators received a tip from a person who came forward with information on the case.

The unnamed and protected tipster, who signed a witness declaration using only his initials, said that two days after the murder, he overheard a man who was buying drugs complain that he hadn't been paid for killing a Canadian, other than the US$1,000 he stole from the woman. The person complaining added his boss was hired for $35,000 by the Canadian wife.

Soon after that, police arrested six men and laid murder charges. The prosecutor at the time, Wendy Rodriguez, told news media that authorities were examining Krissy's role in the alleged contract killing.

Widow dogged by suspicions, maintains innocence

Krissy says it was unfair for the prosecutor to make such a bold comment, which she believes only fuelled innuendo and rumour. She added she does not believe Honduran authorities have the training, education or resources to conduct a reliable criminal investigation, one that she contends would clear her name.

"More times than not, they didn't have someone assigned to the file, didn't know where the file was, didn't recall the event all," Krissy told CBC News. "We can't compare it to the Canadian justice system, we can't compare it to CSI on TV. It's just not the same."

Trials end with no convictions

As things unfolded two of the men charged stood trial but were not convicted. The protected witness never materialized and, in time, all six men were released.

The sting of the accusation, however, has followed Krissy to Saskatchewan where a life insurance policy for Dallas remains unpaid. According to court files from 2011, the Wawanesa Life Insurance Company refused to pay out $500,000 to Krissy based on its belief that she "may have been criminally responsible for her husband's murder" and, as such, "no person should profit from a crime they have committed."

"[Wawanesa are] standing pretty firm that until there's a conviction or the Honduran government issues a statement saying that I will never be charged for this crime, that they're withholding this payment," Krissy said of the insurance matters. "That's not all my focus. Nor was it ever."

As well, in September of 2012, a Canadian Foreign Affairs consular case management officer sent an email update to the Martens family explaining that a new Honduran prosecutor, Carlos Pavon, was handling the file and that according to him, "Ms. Krissy Martens is considered the intellectual author of the crime."

Cold case

Today, the Honduran National Police and prosecutor's officer are reluctant to speak openly about the case. However, the U.S. Embassy is funding a special investigations unit with Honduran investigators and prosecutors dedicated to cases of American citizens — and other foreigners — killed in the country.

One investigator, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, told CBC News that the killing of Dallas Martens is now considered a cold case and would remain so as long as no new physical evidence or witnesses materialize. He added there is no probable cause to arrest Krissy.

Widow tries to rebuild life

A few weeks after the funeral for Dallas Martens, Krissy returned to Roatán to continue with the adoption process for Will and work with underprivileged children. The adoption fell through. Krissy started dating an islander a few months later and gave birth to a son in 2011.

A year ago she decided to return to Saskatchewan.

"With the allegations and the negative coverage on me, my reputation, it was a huge concern coming back," Krissy said. "It's not something you can hide from. And you know that the people in your life who love and support you, they're not going to listen to these allegations. It was just a matter of rising above it."

Family seeks assistance from Canadian authorities

The ongoing persistence of Dallas Martens' parents in seeking justice for their son has produced some modest actions from Canadian authorities.

"Our Government has been actively engaged in this case since 2011 and continues to press for a resolution at senior levels," Canada's Minister of State, Lynne Yelich, a Saskatchewan member of Parliament, said in an emailed statement to CBC News.

Yelich met with the Honduran Attorney General in January 2014, when she visited the country for the inauguration of the new president.

The Martens family, parents Pete and Verna, and a sister — Morgan — say the Canadian government should pressure Honduran authorities to dedicate more manpower and resources to the case.

"He was a Canadian citizen and I believe he already had to die without dignity," Morgan Martens told CBC News. "He at least deserves the honour of having justice."