The High Court of the Commonwealth of Dominica will open today after the Easter break, and on the Court’s Cause list for arraignment is the high-profile case of double murder accused Jonathan Lehrer and his co-accused Robert Synder Jr.
Both men are charged with the 2023 murder of Canadian businessman Daniel Langlois and his partner, Dominique Marchand.
The killings, following a long-standing property access dispute over a public road, resulted in the victims’ bodies being found in a burnt-out car, causing significant legal and social impact in Dominica.
ARRAIGNMENT LIST FOR TUESDAY 14th APRIL 2026 BEFORE HER LADYSHIP HONOURABLE JUSTICE SEJILLA McDOWALL
IN THE HIGH COURT OF DOMINICA
| No. | Case No. | Accused | Offence | Attorney | Status |
| 1. | DOMHCR2026/0005 | RICHARD ANDERSON JOSEPH | GREIVOUS BODILY HARM | On Bail | |
| 2. | DOMHCR2026/0006; 0007 | JONATHAN SCOTT LEHRER AND ROBERT THOMAS SYNDER JR | MURDER | In Custody | |
| 3. | DOMHCR2026/0012 | OSCAR LAVILLE | THEFT ACT | In Custody |
FOOT NOTES
Key Aspects of the Case:
- The Dispute: Lehrer owned the 53-acre Bois Cotlette Inc. estate next to Langlois’s sustainable resort, Coulibri Ridge, and historically blocked a public road used by Langlois.
- Legal Conflict: The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court previously ruled in 2018 (Case DOMHCV223/2018) that the road was public, ruling against Lehrer, who had often obstructed it with boulders and trenches.
- The Murders: Langlois and Marchand were found dead on December 1, 2023, in a charred car, sparking massive public interest.
- Legal Status: Lehrer has been repeatedly denied bail due to the severity of the charges and risk of flight.
- New Charges: In January 2025, Lehrer was also charged with trafficking firearms and illegal ammunition import