On Friday, it was reported that the bodies of Dominique Marchand and Mr. Langlois were found inside a burned-out car.
The couple owned an eco-resort on the island, and they had been absent for several days. Mr. Langloids established Softimage, a company that produced animation software that was utilized in big-budget movies. Rayburn Blackmore, Dominica’s Minister of Legal Affairs and National Security, was cited by Dominica News Online as saying that three foreign nationals and one Dominican have been placed under arrest in relation to the event.
According to Dominican media, the minister stated, “We cannot ignore this type of terrible crime and the brutality in this crime and we cannot allow those responsible to go unpunished.
A US Department of State spokeswoman told the BBC in response to rumours that one of the four people being questioned by police is an American citizen: “We are aware of reports of the arrest of a US citizen in Dominica.”
“Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment at this time.” Regarding the deaths, little information was given.
In a statement released on Monday, the entrepreneur’s charitable foundation, the Daniel Langlois Foundation, stated that the couple “died in tragic circumstances” on December 1.
“In the coming weeks and months, details of the exact circumstances of their passing will be revealed as the Dominican police authorities and justice system proceed to the investigation,” added the statement.
According to the organization, Mr. Langlois’ “impressive career had a significant impact on modern film.” Before establishing Softimage in the 1980s, Mr. Langlois worked as a director and animator in the Canadian province of Quebec. Major motion pictures including Titanic, Star Wars: Episode I-The Phantom Menace, The Matrix, and Jurassic Park were all made possible using the company’s 3D animation software.
The business was reportedly sold to Microsoft in 1994 for $130 million (£85 million). Mr. Langlois shared an Academy Award in the scientific and technological category for Softimage animation components three years after that sale.
He continued to be involved in the arts and cinema industry, serving as president of the independent Montreal film festival, Festival du Nouveau Cinéma.More recently, Mr. Langlois and Ms. Marchand founded the Resilient Dominica Project to support the island after Hurricane Maria damaged the local economy and left 65 people dead at the eco-friendly resort Coulibri Ridge in Dominica.
According to the foundation, Ms. Marchand was affiliated with the Humane Society of Dominica, an animal charity.
Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge referred to Mr. Langlois as “a visionary in digital technologies and cinema” in a post on X, the previous Twitter platform. “His inventive spirit is reflected in his legacy. I’m thinking of his family members,” she wrote.