2023-12-06 02:04:34
The neighbor of Daniel Langlois, this Quebec entrepreneur killed in Dominica with his partner Dominique Marchand, was finally charged with murder on Tuesday, as was another of the suspects.
• Read also: Couple of entrepreneurs killed in the Caribbean: “Jonathan is not a murderer,” says his father
• Read also: Murders of Daniel Langlois and his partner: a dispute with many excesses with one of the suspects
• Read also: Quebec entrepreneur Daniel Langlois and his wife were found dead in the Caribbean
The prosecutor responsible for the case told the QMI Agency early Tuesday evening that Jonathan Lehrer, the owner of the Bois Cotlette chocolate factory, and one of his accomplices must return to court on Wednesday to answer charges.
Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand, who managed the Coulibri hotel, were ambushed by a man who killed them before setting their car on fire, Dominica police said. Their charred car was found last Friday by police in Gallion, while their families were notified of the deaths on Saturday.
The place where the couple’s burnt car was found. CLYDE JNO BAPTISTE/QMI AGENCY
MM. Langlois and Lehrer were involved in a dispute over the use of the Morne Rouge public road, which runs through the chocolatier’s estate. That battle reached the island’s highest court, which determined in 2019 that the road was public and might be used by Mr. Langlois’ guests.
CLYDE JNO BAPTISTE/QMI AGENCY
The case is being led by Director of Public Prosecutions Sherma Dalrymple.
On Monday, the Minister of Public Security Rayburn Blackmoore assured that Dominica would do everything to ensure that those responsible for the deaths of the two Quebecers were brought to justice.
Anger following the death of two “icons”
Soufrière residents met by the QMI Agency on Tuesday expressed their “shock and anger” by referring to the “brutal and heartless” murders of two “community icons”.
A mother of six who worked at the Coulibri Hotel for six years said she owed a debt of gratitude to the couple.
“They were an inspiration to all of us. We want justice to bring Jonathan to us so that we can take care of him. The community is in crisis, we want to take care of him ourselves,” said the woman who preferred to remain anonymous.
“We don’t want him to go to prison and be fed with our taxes and those of Daniel and Dominique,” she added.
CLYDE JNO BAPTISTE/QMI AGENCY
His feeling was shared by other villagers. “The community is suffering, we can’t work, we lost two good people and the community is going to be poorer without them,” commented another resident of Soufrière.
The director of Soufrière primary school, rebuilt following the hurricane Maria in 2017 thanks to the help of Daniel Langlois, also lamented his death.
“He was really instrumental in the rehabilitation of the Soufrière primary school with an amount of more than $1 million invested,” said Ericson Degallaire.
“I must say that the work was wonderfully well done, with unprecedented quality of materials. What’s even nicer is the addition of solar panels, so when the power goes out, the panels take over and the school never runs out of power. He did a lot of good for the school. It’s unfortunate that he and his partner came to such an end,” continued the director.
CLYDE JNO BAPTISTE/QMI AGENCY
The small community of Gallion, which has around 150 inhabitants including many employees of the Coulibri hotel, was also in shock at the death of the two Quebecers.
“We all benefited from Daniel and Dominique. Our children at secondary school have all benefited from the couple’s kindness and almost everyone in Gallion has already worked at the Coulibri hotel,” said a resident of the community in tears.
1701841978
#people #accused #murder #Daniel #Langlois #partner
