The common-law husband of an Abbotsford woman reported missing in Peru has been arrested in connection with her disappearance, and the case is now being treated as a homicide.
Christopher Franz was arrested last week and is in police custody while investigators await DNA test results. Charges have not yet been laid.
Kimberlee Kasatkin, 41, last had contact with her family on Nov. 26, 2016. Her parents, Kathleen and Alexander Kasatkin of Abbotsford, held a press conference in early January, seeking information that might lead to her whereabouts.
Her disappearance is part of an investigation that includes agencies such as Interpol.
Kimberlee was living in Lima, Peru, with Franz, who is from Peru, and their two children – a six-year-old boy and three-year-old girl – at the time of her disappearance.
The couple met in Victoria, where Kimberlee was attending school, and moved to Peru more than three years ago.
Kimberlee travelled to Abbotsford once or twice a year, for a few weeks at a time, and would then return to her spouse and kids.
Her last contact with her family was during a FaceTime (video conversation) call with two of her sisters.
During the press conference, Kathleen said that Franz had indicated to the family that the last time he had seen Kimberlee was also on the evening of Nov. 26.
She said trying to find answers to their daughter’s disappearance was frustrating for the couple, particularly with the language barrier, and they planned to travel to Lima to talk to authorities in person.
They have been there ever since and say they do not plan to leave until charges are laid.
Kimberlee’s brother, Roger Grafstrom, has been posting updates on a GoFundMe page that was set up to raise $25,000 as a reward for information leading to her whereabouts.
Grafstrom references online reports from Peru media that show Franz’s arrest and indicate this occurred after police reviewed security footage of a man believed to be him dragging a heavy bag or box across the parking garage of his residence and loading it into his vehicle before driving off.
He apparently rested the bag on a wall, and police allegedly found blood there, for which they are awaiting DNA results to determine whether it is Kimberlee’s, according to reports.
Grafstrom earlier indicated that the family was having difficulty getting co-operation from the prosecutor's office in Peru, and had to hire their own criminal lawyer to represent them.