Cover Photo Credit: Kaleb Levesque.
On March 3, 2023, a cleaner at the Grand Sunset Princess Hotel in Playa del Carmen found Kiara Agnew, a twenty-three-year-old British Columbia citizen, beaten to death at their resort.
The worker said he found her boyfriend Ryan William Friesen sleeping next to her body. Kiara’s supporters, led by her family, started a petition alleging Ryan’s Friesen’s involvement in her murder and called for further action, providing evidence such as Kiara’s journal, which suggested a pattern of prior abuse and expressed fear of the relationship.
In September 2024, Friesen was cleared of the case and allowed back into Canada after claiming that it was the Mexican cartel who had killed Agnew. The trial remains under the jurisdiction of the Mexican Government.
An independent magistrate later overturned the verdict, and authorities informed Kiara’s family of the decision. Friesen’s legal team later sought an amparo. The International Bar Association defines this law as “a mechanism for citizens to protect their civil rights against state abuse and miscarriages of justice.”
Friesen will remain in Canada while the appeal process continues. Sources expect the process to conclude within months. If the appeal is unsuccessful, he could face a sentence of up to 50 years in prison in Mexico.
Meanwhile, protesters have taken to the streets in New Brunswick, Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario calling for accountability and raising public safety concerns related to the case.
Kiara’s cousin Kaleb Levesque organized the protests in Fredericton, the last of which took place on February 8, 2026, with no date yet announced for the next demonstration.
Naomi Agnew, Kiara’s step-mother, shared what the protest intends to achieve:
“We would like to see the Canadian authorities protect us and lock Ryan Friesen up who is now considered guilty of femicide in Mexico until the process is completed in Mexico. We feel he is unsafe and unstable to do what was done to Kiara who he claimed to love. He is a sick individual who could possibly hurt or kill another woman.”
With the legal process still ongoing, public response continues through advocacy efforts. Movements such as “Justice for Kiara” illustrate how cases can resonate beyond the courtroom, sparking conversations about justice and visibility.
Naomi shares a few ways for the public to raise awareness about this case, like sharing Kiara’s story and petition. She also asks Canadian citizens to sign the petition number e-7071 in the House of Commons, “Kiara’s Law.”
