Fifteen days after Jesse Deschamps was gunned down behind a mall in Penetanguishene, local police officials remain mum on the state of their investigation.
Deschamps was killed on July 27 at approximately 5 p.m.
The last update from the Southern Georgian Bay OPP came in the form of a media release July 31 in which police stated they had located a "vehicle of interest" and confirmed the cause of death to be from the shooting.
When asked if a vehicle found set ablaze in Oro-Medonte the next day was that "vehicle of interest," officials refused to comment.
While no arrest has been made in the case, the police stated "there is no immediate threat to public safety." However when pressed, they would not provide any details about why there is no immediate threat when the gunman or gunmen remain at large.
Many in the community have also wondered aloud if this homicide is related to another unsolved murder in the area.
On July 5, 2021, Jonus Keegan Palmer was murdered in his Old Fort Road home in Tay Township. Nobody was ever arrested in that case. The OPP would not comment on that incident and its possible ties to the current investigation.
Since July 31, MidlandToday has asked for more information and an update three different times; the most recent on Aug. 8 included nine detailed questions about the murder and the ensuing investigation.
On Aug. 10, Const. David Hobson, who handles media inquires for the Southern Georgian Bay OPP, could not provide any information.
"There is no update at this point," he said.
"As far as the questions you've provided, at this time they are not wishing to comment on those questions as they may be evidentiary in nature," he said.
"The investigation is ongoing and the investigators are continuing to investigate."
According to an earlier media release, the investigation is being conducted by the Southern Georgian Bay OPP detachment's major crime unit, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, with assistance of the OPP Forensic Identification Services and in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service.
Anyone who has any information or may have dashcam or surveillance video is asked to contact the Southern Georgian Bay OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or opp.southern.georgian.bay@opp.
Should you wish to remain anonymous, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca. Follow Crime Stoppers of Simcoe Dufferin Muskoka on Twitter or Facebook and by visiting www.crimestopperssdm.com.
