Murder of Daniel Langlois: apparently fragile evidence

Nearly a year after the murders of Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand, the prosecution still does not seem to have the necessary evidence to obtain convictions.

On December 1, 2023, the charred bodies of the two Quebecers were found in their vehicle along a mountainous path in Dominica, a Caribbean island.

A few days later, murder charges were brought against two Americans, including Jonathan Lehrer, owner of the estate next to that of Daniel Langlois.

This week, Dominica’s highest court offered Jonathan Lehrer bail. Fifteen conditions accompany this offer, including the requirement that the accused renounce his American citizenship. In the meantime, he remains in prison.

This decision, written by Judge Colin Williams, offers a first overview of the evidence collected so far. It is a partial view, which calls into question the solidity of the investigation.

Absence of eyewitness

First observation: the investigators do not have a visual witness to the crime. And if witnesses were found, their existence was not revealed, neither to the court nor to the defense.

However, the main investigator in the case declared under oath last spring that he had at least one direct eyewitness, circumstantial evidence and scientific evidence to justify the accusations against the two Americans.

In April, this testimony was used to justify the continued detention of the accused in a prison near Roseau, the capital of Dominica. These assertions were notably used to refuse a first request for parole for Jonathan Lehrer.

Investigators on file interviewed two people. One of them claims to have heard gunshots and screams of a female voice in the vicinity of Jonathan Lehrer’s property.

The other accused, Robert Snyder, was allegedly seen by the second witness just before a loud explosion.

Neither witness saw an unlawful act being committedconcludes Judge Williams before adding that one of them never identified Jonathan Lehrer and that the other saw him only several hours after the murders.

He is of the opinion that the evidence revealed does not meet the legal threshold of an eyewitness, nor does the scientific evidence the police possess affirmatively link Jonathan Lehrer to the crime with which he is accused.

Nicolia Wiles, the Lehrer family’s publicist, sees this decision as confirmation of Jonathan Lehrer’s innocence.

We finally see that Deputy Police Commissioner Jeffrey James perjured himself, that he lied to the courts and to people about the evidence that he and the prosecution had. The judge was very clear in his decisionhe declares.

Just circumstantial evidence?

The decision also casts doubt on the physical elements collected by investigators in the 11 months following the discovery of the bodies. There is a DNA analysis that can confirm the identity of the victims.

However, by the end of October, the defense had not received no photographic or pathological evidence, no photos of the crime scene and no forensic report on this case.

The investigator on file says evidence was collected including shell casings and at least one fired bullet. These elements and samples taken were sent outside the country for analysis.

However, the results of these analyzes have still not been communicated to investigators in Dominica.

We revealed All [le matériel] in our possessionexplained under oath the acting police commissioner.

In court, Jeffrey James admitted that his team had not respected the various deadlines imposed by the court to reveal the evidence and that the American languishes in prison as his health deteriorates.

Jonathan Lehrer fears he is suffering from prostate cancer and assures that an infection causes kidney stones. He hopes to be treated by specialists outside Dominica, which he will be able to do if he meets numerous conditions set this week by the court.

This week, Dominica’s Minister of Public Security, Rayburn Blackmore, said he was opposed to bail.

The family of Daniel Langlois, for their part, expressed their disappointment following this decision.

A trial date has still not been set.

Would the circumstantial evidence that the police possess be sufficient to obtain convictions? Judge Williams recalls that it is a jury which will determine whether this is enough to convict the accused.

The magistrate nevertheless allows himself to draw a conclusion: Based on the evidence revealedhe writes, the evidence seem to favor Jonathan teacher.

The next hearing is scheduled for December 10.