The Dominica government has requested help from Canadian authorities in probing the passing of businessman and humanitarian Daniel Langlois on the Caribbean island.
The remains of Langlois, a trailblazer in 3D animation, and his colleague Dominique Marchand, were discovered on Friday inside a charred vehicle at the base of a cliff located in the southern region of the petite island.
On Monday, Dominica’s national security minister, Rayburn Blackmoore, stated that the police were investigating the deaths as “possible murders.”
According to officials, the pair was reportedly attacked while driving on the road and were shot. As a result, their car veered off the road and into a ravine where it caught fire. This information was reported by the police to AFP.
Four individuals – three non-citizens and one citizen of the Dominican Republic – have been taken into custody in relation to the offense.
Blackmoore stated that we cannot overlook the severity of this heinous act and we must not let those accountable escape consequences.
He stated that a plea has been submitted for assistance in investigation from the authorities in Canada.
He said that the murders have caused great distress on the island and have left many people feeling devastated.
Langlois and Marchand established a high-end hotel in Dominica, and the government recently honored them with an award for their efforts towards the island’s progress.
Langlois became extremely wealthy through Softimage, a company that created computer programs for 3D animation. These programs were utilized in popular films such as Jurassic Park, Titanic, The Matrix, and the Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean series.
The National Film Board of Canada expressed their deep sorrow upon hearing the tragic passing of Daniel Langlois on X (formerly known as Twitter). They highlighted his immeasurable impact in the world of cinema.
Pascale St-Onge, the Canadian Heritage minister, described Langlois as a forward-thinking innovator in the fields of digital technologies and cinema.
“His legacy reflects his innovative spirit. My thoughts are with his loved ones.”
According to the website of his foundation, Langlois sold Softimage to Microsoft in 1994 after founding it in 1986. However, he remained as the company’s president until 1998.
The website stated that in 1997, Langlois was awarded a scientific and technical Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Source: theguardian.com
