Canadian Citizen Accused of Kidnapping and Torture in Medellín, Colombia

The Office of the Attorney General of Colombia has charged Canadian citizen Raymond Arthur JR Cornish with the crimes of simple kidnapping, torture, and theft. He is accused of involvement in the kidnapping and torture of a woman who provided housekeeping services at an apartment rented through Airbnb in Medellín, Antioquia.

The incident occurred on November 23, 2023, in El Poblado neighborhood. According to the investigation, the woman was allegedly detained against her will by Cornish and another man, who were staying in the property. She was repeatedly assaulted to force her to disclose information about the location of a ring and money that they accused her of stealing.

According to Bogotá daily El Tiempo, the CCTV footage from the building shows the moment in which the woman is grabbed and forced into the apartment. Due to injuries the woman suffered at the hands of the men, the 42-year-old victim received a 15-day medical disability certificate after seeking medical attention. Following a judge’s decision, the Canadian was retained briefly in a Colombian jail but released.

She was repeatedly assaulted to force her to disclose information about the location of a ring and money that they accused her of stealing.

In January 2025, Cornish was finally apprehended in a coordinated operation while dining at a restaurant in the El Poblado neighborhood and pled not guilty to the charges against him. Following preliminary hearings, he was placed under preventive detention in a Medellín facility, where “he will have to face Colombian justice for the alleged crimes of aggravated kidnapping, torture and aggravated qualified theft. The supervisory judge decided to impose a security measure or deprivation of liberty in a penitentiary establishment,” Commander of the Fourth Brigade, Brigade General Jorge Ricardo Hernández Vargas, explained.

Manuel Villa Mejía, Secretary of Security and Coexistence, provided further details about the case. “Through the coordinated efforts of the Mayors’ Offices of Medellín, the military GAULA (Groups of Unified Action for Personal Freedom) of Antioquia, our National Army’s Fourth Brigade, and the CTI (Technical Investigation Corps), the arrest of Raymond Arthur JR Cornish, a 34-year-old Canadian citizen, was achieved through a judicial order.”

“We welcome everyone who visits within the framework of responsible tourism. However, those who come here to commit crimes are not welcome. The authorities have definitively returned to the city’s streets to deliver results and protect the freedom and safety.” Mejia added.

Headline Photo: Raymond Arthur JR Cornish, a 34-year-old Canadian citizen captured in Medellín (Photo: Office of the Attorney General of Colombia)