Quebec-born film entrepreneur Daniel Langlois and his partner were killed in the eastern Carribbean island of Dominica in early December.
The bodies of Langlois and Dominique Marchand were found in a burned out car near their luxury ecotourism resort.
Two men — Jonathan Lehrer and Robert Thomas Snider — have since been arrested and charged with murder. The high-profile case has garnered international news coverage.
Langlois was born in Jonquière, Que., in 1957. He founded Softimage, whose 3D animation software was used to create special effects in several films, including Jurassic Park and Titanic. The company was later acquired by Microsoft.
The 66-year-old businessman was also a noted philanthropist who started a foundation in his name in 1997 to support arts and technology.
Langlois spent many years living in Dominica, where he and Marchand owned an off-grid resort. They were both involved in local charitable endeavours, including the resilient Dominica project to help the island’s reconstruction after Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Here is a timeline leading up to the couple’s killing and the subsequent investigation surrounding their deaths, based on what is known so far.
1997: First visit to Dominica
Langlois and Marchand first stepped foot in Dominica, located between Guadeloupe and Martinique, in 1997.
According to their resort’s website, the couple “fell in love with the island’s natural beauty.”
Not only did they spend several years in the country, but Dominica would inspire them to build their dream: the Coulibri Ridge.
Fall 2018: Dispute over road leading to resort
Court documents in Dominica show the couple was neighbours with one of the men accused of murdering them.
American-born chocolate producer and property owner Lehrer had been in a legal dispute with Langlois, dating back several years.
Lehrer allegedly took issue with the use of a public road that crossed both his property and led to the couple’s private resort in southern Dominica. The Coulibri Ridge was under construction at the time.
Lehrer allegedly blocked access to the Morne Rouge Public Road by digging a trench and placing boulders on the roadway in October 2018, according to court documents.
In a lawsuit against Lehrer, Langlois asked for a permanent injunction to ensure the public road be opened. A first injunction was granted later that year.
2019: Judge orders reopening of road
An Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court judge ruled in Langlois’ favour in 2019.
The ruling said the road had to be opened up to give the Quebec businessman’s employees and guests access to the resort, which is nestled in the mountains near the village of Soufrière.
2022: Luxury ecotourism resort opens
After years of work and a soft opening, the couple’s Coulibri Ridge resort officially holds a grand opening in late October 2022.
The 14-suite hotel, which sits on a sprawling 285 acres of land, is marketed as an “eco-retreat.”
Dec. 1, 2023: Bodies found
Rayburn Blackmoore, Dominica’s national security minister, said police received a call about a “potential homicide arson” around 7 a.m. on Dec. 1.
The bodies of Langlois and Marchand were discovered in a charred car near the Coulibri Ridge after they were reported missing.
Dec. 3, 2023: Tributes pour in from Canada
By the end of the weekend, tributes to the couple poured in on social media as Langlois and Marchand’s deaths became known.
Multiple figures in politics and Quebec’s cultural industry reacted to the news. Federal Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge called Langlois a visionary in digital technologies and cinema who left a lasting impact.
Dec. 4, 2023: Arrests revealed
During a public address on Dec. 4, Blackmoore said “four people of interest” were in police custody.
Police later confirmed three people were arrested near a “secondary crime scene.” A fourth person was later taken into custody.
Dec. 6, 2023: Lehrer and Snider charged
Lehrer and Snider were charged with the murders of Langlois and Marchand.
Dominica’s director of public prosecutions said the two men were arraigned in court but did not enter a plea. The men will remain in jail until their next court appearance in March 2024.
Local media reported that angry residents gathered outside the courthouse in Roseau. They lauded Langlois’ contributions and generosity toward the community and wondered what his loss would mean for their own futures.
Meanwhile, police said it’s not clear whether the two other people taken into custody will face charges but the investigation is ongoing.
Dec. 7, 2023: Vigil held in Dominica
A memorial sunset paddle and candlelight vigil were held by community members in Dominica in memory of Langlois and Marchand.
Residents watched from the shore as people on kayaks held up their kayaks in unison.
A minute of silence was held and flowers were spread into the water as part of the commemoration, which was livestreamed on social media.
— with files from Global News’ Alessia Simona Maratta, The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
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