Hundreds of people from all walks of life converged Thursday on the small community of Soufrière, in southern Dominica, to participate in a kayak and candlelight vigil in memory of Quebec entrepreneur Daniel Langlois and his wife Dominique Merchant.
• Read also: Murder of Daniel Langlois and his partner: “Assassin Jonathan, you are an assassin”
• Read also: Murders of Daniel Langlois and his partner: a dispute with many excesses with one of the suspects
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Staff from the Coulibri hotel founded by the couple, hoteliers and members of the government gathered on the pier built with funding from Daniel Langlois to pay tribute to him during the vigil which lasted 90 minutes. It started on the water with dozens of kayaks leaving the shore to gather in the bay.
CARLISLE JNO BAPTISTE/QMI AGENCY
In the meantime, many people remained at the dock, where a group sang a cappella songs. Several people struggled to contain their emotion and their tears.
CARLISLE JNO BAPTISTE/QMI AGENCY
“Like a father”
Maggie, who spent 26 years working for the couple as a cook, wanted to pay tribute to him during the vigil.
“[Daniel] was like a father, my backbone. Everything that no one has ever done for me, Daniel has done. I am heartbroken and no remedy will heal me. I’m not eating anymore and I don’t know how much longer I’m going to continue to cry and grieve,” she confided with emotion.
“I miss them so much. They were all I had and they were taken away from me. The whole community is in mourning,” she continued.
“No more Dominique, no more Daniel. If I get my hands on Jonathan, I’m going to chop him to pieces because what he did was wrong. He was jealous of Daniel and Dominique. Jonathan is worse than the devil, because he himself would not commit such an act,” Maggie cried and cried.
CARLISLE JNO BAPTISTE/QMI AGENCY
The cook refers to Jonathan Lehrer, the main suspect in the murder of Daniel and Dominique. They were ambushed and killed and their car was set on fire last week.
Mr. Lehrer and one of his associates, Robert Thomas Snyder Jr., have since been arrested and charged with murder. The man, owner of the Bois Cotlette chocolate factory, was in open conflict with Daniel Langlois over access to a public road that passed through his land.
Posthumous tribute and flag at half mast
Among the participants in the vigil was also Sam Raphael, the owner of the Jungle Bay hotel, located half a kilometer from the Coulibri.
Mr. Raphael condemned the murders of the two Quebecers, calling them “wicked and evil.” “They didn’t deserve to end up like this,” he lamented.
MP Chekeria Lockhart-Hypolite, who represented her counterpart and Minister of Tourism Denise Charles, stressed that the gathering of hundreds of people “clearly shows the impact that the couple had in the community and in the tourism sector”.
“They have made significant contributions and influenced the lives of people in the community. I have no hesitation in recommending that something be named in their name to honor their memory, their work and their contribution to the community,” she added.
After the kayaks returned to the dock, participants proceeded to the church grounds, where a bonfire was lit, while the flag of Dominica was flown at half-mast.
CARLISLE JNO BAPTISTE/QMI AGENCY
At the end of the ceremony, flowers were thrown into the sea.
“Daniel and Dominique, we love you, we will miss you. Rest in peace, Daniel and Dominic,” chanted the Dominicans.