Ryan Friesen, a Canadian man at the heart of a W5 investigation, has been declared guilty by a Mexican magistrate of killing his girlfriend, Kiara Agnew, at five-star resort in March 2023.

Kiara was found beaten to death in a resort laundry room, with Ryan sleeping next to her dead body.

Ryan was immediately arrested and charged with her killing at the time, but was found not guilty in September 2024 after a judge-only trial.

Kiara’s family learned of the decision being overturned by the independent magistrate just hours ago after being notified by Global Affairs Canada.

“… The verdict was overturned by the judge, however, I am also learning that the lawyers of the accused have placed an ‘amparo’ on this decision. My understanding is that the amparo is a mechanism that allows a person to challenge the judge’s decision,” a GAC consulate case management officer wrote to Kiara’s parents, Michele and Trevor.

W5 has learned that the process of Ryan’s appeal will be concluded within months and that he will remain in Canada until the resolution of his appeal.

It is unclear if he is currently in custody in Canada.

‘Ryan Friesen murdered Kiara Agnew’

Kiara’s aunt, Tanya, who has long been a driving force in organizing protests across Canada to bring Kiara’s killer to justice, spoke to W5 in an interview shortly after learning of Ryan being declared guilty.

“Now we can say, ‘Ryan Friesen murdered Kiara Agnew.’ We can say that. And that’s powerful in itself because we have been muted and threatened,” Tanya said.

“And now we don’t have to say ‘allegedly’ or ‘in our belief,’ we can now say ‘Ryan Friesen murdered Kiara Agnew.’ And that is such a powerful statement. And I’m so proud to be able to say it.”

The couple, from Dawson Creek, B.C., had travelled to the Grand Sunset Princess Hotel in Playa del Carmen to celebrate her 24th birthday.

Hours later, Kiara was beaten to death. When the couple was found in the laundry room by a resort cleaner, Ryan was covered in blood with swollen fists and bruises.

The full W5 Avery Haines Investigates documentary If I’m Ever Found Dead premieres Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV, Crave and our CTV News YouTube channel.

PART 1: Not-guilty verdict in murder of Canadian may be overturned

PART 2: Canadian at centre of girlfriend’s murder mystery in Mexico makes first public statement after verdict

PART 3: Did a cartel kill this young Canadian woman? W5 investigates a murder mystery