Four out of the five individuals implicated in a scheme to harm the son of a couple from Dieppe who were discovered deceased in their residence six years ago made court appearances in Moncton provincial court on Monday. Meanwhile, a warrant was issued for the arrest of the fifth person.
The accused parties, namely Janson Bryan Baker, Jesse Todd Logue, Monique Alicia Boyer, Nicholas Daniel Bain, and Christopher Allen Lennon, are facing allegations of jointly planning to harm Sylvio Saulnier.
Sylvio Saulnier, who passed away in 2023, is the son of Bernard Saulnier and Rose-Marie Saulnier, who were found deceased in their Amirault Street home in Dieppe, New Brunswick, in September 2019.
The conspiracy charges against the five individuals were filed last week, with the alleged acts said to have occurred between August and September 2019 in Dieppe and other locations. The charges are a result of an investigation into the deaths of Bernard and Rose-Marie Saulnier.
Baker, aged 29, was charged in connection with the deaths in 2023, and his trial is set for January.
Bain, aged 30, is currently not in custody and did not make an appearance in court on Monday. However, a warrant for his arrest was issued by Judge Troy Sweet, indicating that he will be detained upon apprehension.
Lennon, aged 35, expressed his intention to retain Gilles Lemieux as his legal representative. He appeared in court in person and is presently detained at the Atlantic Institution in Renous, New Brunswick.
The remaining accused individuals have not yet engaged legal counsel. Baker, held at the Southeast Regional Correctional Centre in Shediac, New Brunswick, confirmed his application for legal aid during his in-person appearance. Boyer, aged 33, detained at the Nova Institution for Women in Truro, Nova Scotia, applied for legal aid via video conference.
Logue, aged 33, in custody at the Donnacona Institution in southern Quebec, also attended via video but faced technical difficulties preventing communication with the court.
Crown prosecutors Patrick Wilbur and Marc-Andre Desjardins opposed the release of all five accused individuals.
The proceedings were adjourned until January 5 to allow the accused ample time to secure legal representation.