Dennis Oland revealed as prime suspect in his father’s murder

HALIFAX — Richard Oland’s only son, Dennis Oland, is considered the prime suspect in his 2011 murder, according to search warrants.

Oland’s name was sealed under a publication ban ordered by New Brunswick Provincial Court last fall. The ban was lifted by Court of the Queen’s Bench Justice William Grant on Friday, ruling that the first judge had erred in imposing the ban.

The four individuals who were subject to search warrants argued that they had been through enough media scrutiny and they were entitled to privacy.

In his decision to impose the ban, Chief Judge R. Leslie Jackson acknowledged the names had already been reported, wrote Grant, adding that Jackson failed to make the threshold determination that a sealing order was necessary based on the evidence before him.

“In the decision of the Provincial Court Judge there is no evaluation of the incremental effect of the proposed ban other than his statement at para. 20 of his decision that ‘…one may wonder whether a non-publication ordre would achieve any purpose.’ Far from supporting the ban that statement calls into question wheterh there would be any risk at all to the administration of justice in this case if continued publication were permitted, let alone a serious risk…”

The ruling followed a request for a judicial review by CBC News and Brunswick News.

Richard Oland’s family, the Saint John Police, Dennis Oland and the Attorney General of New Brunswick all opposed lifting the ban.

No charges have been laid in the case.

Richard Oland was found dead in his Saint John office on July 7, 2011. The prominent businessman of the Moosehead beer-brewing family reportedly died following blows to the head with a drywall axe.

Before the publication ban, it was widely reported that police searched Dennis Oland’s home and a boat co-owned by his wife Lisa.

Police have said money may have been a motive in the murder as the suspect owed Oland over $500,000.