In late 2023, a bizarre true crime murder case developed when the burnt remains of CGI exec Daniel Langlois and his wife, Dominique Marchand, were recovered on the Caribbean island country Dominica. About a week later, Jonathan Lehrer, an American chocolatier, was arrested and charged with killing them.
After they had both been missing for several days, the charred bodies of the Canadian animator-turned-philanthropist and his partner, Marchand, were found on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in a burned-out car near an expansive resort property the couple owned, CBS News reported.
Days later, American chocolatier Jonathan Lehrer, who owns Bois Cotlette Estate, located near the resort property owned by Langlois and Marchand, was arrested and charged with their murder. Lehrer’s wife and a possible accomplice — a Dominican national who reportedly worked for Lehrer — were also taken into custody, but no charges were filed.
The property dispute
After the bodies of Daniel Langlois and his partner, Dominique Marchand, were found, the BBC reported that Langlois and chocolatier Jonathan Lehrer had been feuding for years about a road that led to Langlois and Marchand’s resort. Langlois had complained to local authorities that, in the past, Lehrer had obstructed his use of the road leading to Langlois and his wife’s eco-resort.
Before moving to Dominica, Langlois founded Softimage, a CGI animation company whose 3D animation software has been used in blockbusters like Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Titanic, and the Lord of the Rings. Langlois and Marchand also founded several charitable organizations to develop and support causes important to the island nation and elsewhere. Langlois was 66 years old when he died.
When Langlois’ death was announced, Pascale St-Onge, a member of the Canadian Parliament, shared on X, formerly Twitter:
“Daniel Langlois, a visionary in digital technologies and cinema, has left us. His company Softimage created 3D images for films like @StarWars, leaving a lasting impact on generations. His legacy reflects his innovative spirit. My thoughts are with his loved ones.”
According to NBC News, Langlois and Marchand’s bodies were autopsied, but at that time, the results of the autopsy were not public, and their exact cause of death was unknown. Lehrer had yet to enter a plea as of this report. Lehrer’s father reportedly said he believes his son is innocent.
The deaths of Langlois and Marchand shocked residents of Canada and Dominica, and as of this report, an investigation from Canadian and Dominican authorities was ongoing.