HALIFAX – It won’t be until the end of October, at the earliest, that the case against the wife of murdered Fredericton businessman Harry Doyle will move forward.
The 62-year-old man was gunned down at a resort in the southern Philippines in August and his wife, Jane Doyle, is one of four people accused in the murder.
Philippine National Police (PNP) investigators in Surigao City said Jane Doyle and her late husband’s driver, Jerome Devocion, carried out an “illicit affair” and hired brothers Jhonny and Jeffrey Parian, to kill Doyle.
There have been several delays in the case and now the lawyer representing Doyle’s wife said he’ll file a formal complaint against two police witnesses, alleging they are committing perjury.
He said he will file a formal complaint on Wednesday against James Musselwhite and Martlaw Ortuina.
Zerda told Global News last month he believed police are trying to pin the murder on his clients because of a bad blood between Harry Doyle and the PNP.
He also questioned the credibility of the PNP’s two witnesses in the case.
Doyle believed American-expat James Musselwhite, who had once been a friend, was behind a February shooting that left a bullet hole in the window of his residence.
Police said Musselwhite did not have the means to hire a hitman and did not investigate the accusation – something that angered Doyle greatly, Zerda said.
“How can the police claim Mr. Musselwhite has no money to hire the service of people that might have a hand in the killing of Mr. Doyle ,” Zerda said in a phone interview Tuesday. “It doesn’t cost much.”
He said Musselwhite has businesses in the Philippines and claims he has no money are false.
Musselwhite said in an earlier interview with Global News he lives in the Philippines on about $7,000 a year.
“I told them if you bothered to dig deeper as far as the background of Mr. Musselwhite is concerned, you can easily see some clues,” he said.
He added Musselwhite knows two former employees of Doyle’s — driver Arnel Sidon and secretary Kima Lenogon — who have filed form complaints against Devocion.
Devocion is accused of shooting and injuring Sidon in May of this year and he’s has been charged with arson, in connection with a fire at Lenogon’s home.
Almazan confirmed to Global News on Oct. 2 police are also investigating in connection with the murder of a retired police officer earlier this year.
As for the other witness, who allegedly saw Devocion talking with the hitmen moments before Doyle was shot five times, Zerda said he has heard Ortuina “had some sort of prior contact” with the Doyles.
Musselwhite said he fears for his safety. PNP Det. Rose Marie Almazan said police are providing security to both him and Ortuina.
“All of these people seem to know each other,” Zerda said.
He added he will also file a case against lead detectives Almazan and Det. Mark Anthony Miole, calling them “incompetent.”
Back in court Oct. 30
Prosecutor Kristina Paat-Salumbides appeared in court Tuesday in Surigao City to get another extension in the case.
She will have until Oct. 30 to prepare documents that could lead to charges being filed and arrest warrants being issued for Jane Doyle and the others allegedly involved in the Aug. 12 murder.
As it stands now, the case is in its preliminary stages and Salumbides must review all of the police evidence to prove there is grounds to officially lay charges in the case.
Jane Doyle has been in Fredericton since Aug. 25, where she is staying with her friend Eva Montanez.
If charges are laid against her, police said they will apply to have her extradited back to the Philippines.
Comments