Two Americans plead not guilty to 2023 murders of Canadians in Dominica

Jonathan Lehrer and Robert Snider Jr denied killing Canadian couple Daniel Langlois and Dominique Marchand. The case has been adjourned to May 1, 2026.

Americans deny killing Canadian couple in Dominica property dispute case

Two United States nationals appeared before Dominica's High Court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the 2023 murders of Canadian animation pioneer Daniel Langlois and his partner, Dominique Marchand, caribbeantoday.com reports.

Jonathan Lehrer, 57, and Robert Snider Jr, 62, were charged with the killings of Langlois and his 58-year-old longtime partner. The pair stood before High Court Judge Sejilla McDowall, where defence counsel Tiyania Behanzin attempted — without success — to prevent the indictment from being read to the accused.

The defence had argued that documents alleging "abuse of process" had already been filed on behalf of the men, and that it was improper to proceed with a formal reading of the charges before those documents were addressed. Director of Public Prosecutions Sherma Dyrample objected, stating that the indictment was properly before the court and that there was no procedural bar to having the accused enter a plea.

Judge McDowall sided with the prosecution, ruling that the indictment must be read and that the accused must enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. The defence was, however, granted time to formally file and serve the "abuse of process" complaint, to which the prosecution will be required to respond.

Prosecutors allege that between November 29 and December 2, 2023, Lehrer and Snider Jr murdered Langlois and Marchand. The bodies of the two Canadians were found incinerated inside a vehicle near Gallion, in the south of the island, after they had been reported missing for several days. The pair owned a hotel in the area.

The killings took place against the backdrop of a long-running property access dispute over a public road. Lehrer owned the 53-acre Bois Cortlette Inc Estate adjacent to Langlois's sustainable resort, Coulibri Ridge.

The case has been adjourned to May 1, 2026.

Source: Google News DM — Crime