Bail and promises of justice: The case of Canadians Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand murdered in Dominica
CTV
A year has passed since Canadians Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand were found dead in a burned-out car in Dominica, and there has yet to be justice for the philanthropists who were beloved by many on the island.
A year has passed since Canadians Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand were found dead in a burned-out car in Dominica, and there has yet to be justice for the philanthropists who were beloved by many on the island.
A judge concluded last week it is difficult to know when a case in the matter will get to trial.
In a ruling issued on Nov. 26, High Court Justice Colin Williams criticized the prosecution against Jonathan Lehrer, an American accused of the murders. In a ruling granting Lehrer bail, Williams rebuked investigators and prosecutors for extensive legal delays and for misrepresenting evidence.
In his decision allowing Lehrer’s release from prison as he awaits trial in Dominica, Williams wrote that “Based on the disclosed evidence, the strength appears to favour the Claimant (Lehrer).”
This was Lehrer’s second attempt at securing bail.
Lehrer and another American, Robert Snyder Jr., were detained days after the bodies were found, and both were charged with murder in December 2023. In the weeks that followed the arrests, local police sought to reassure those living near Coulibri Ridge, an eco-resort Langlois and Marchand owned in the south of the island.
“We believe that there is sufficient evidence to afford the charge and pursue the conviction of the suspects,” acting police chief of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force Valerie Davidson told CTV News nearly three months after the killings. “We will not relent until we bring these perpetrators to justice. We want to show our visitors that we care about them.”
