Man charged with indignity to body remains in jail

KITCHENER — Sitting handcuffed in the prisoner’s box on Monday, Jason Cesar rested his head in his hands, covering his face, as his attempt to get bail failed, at least temporarily.

The Kitchener man has been in jail for almost two weeks after he was charged with committing an indignity to a body and breaching probation.

The charges are tied to the discovery of Christopher Deweese’s body in a farmer’s field in North Dumfries Township on July 12. Court documents show Cesar was found guilty in Kitchener court in March of possessing a controlled substance and was put on probation for a year

A ruling from Cesar’s bail hearing last week was expected to be delivered on Monday, but an issue with a proposed surety delayed it. A publication ban has been imposed on details of the hearing.

Lawyer Stephen Proudlove will try to line up another proposed surety when the bail hearing continues next Monday.

Cesar, 44, is the second suspect charged as police investigate the suspicious death of Deweese. A methamphetamine charge that Deweese, 32, faced was unresolved before his death. Police have determined the Kitchener man did not die where he was found.

Desiree McNeill, 29, of Cambridge is also charged with committing an indignity to Deweese’s body. She was convicted this month on unrelated charges of possessing heroin and methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.

The indignity charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.