A jury was chosen on Saturday in Moncton for the trial of a 29-year-old individual accused of the 2019 murders of a couple in Dieppe. Janson Bryan Baker faces two charges of first-degree murder for the alleged killing of Bernard Saulnier, 78, and Rose-Marie Saulnier, 74. Baker entered a formal plea of not guilty as jury selection commenced on Saturday morning, concluding after 7 p.m.
The Crown is set to present its opening statement on Tuesday morning, providing an outline of the evidence that will be presented during the trial. The deaths of the Saulniers deeply affected the community and raised concerns about the progress of the investigation in the subsequent years following the tragic incident.
Baker was charged in September 2023, marking the fourth anniversary of the discovery of the victims’ bodies. The cause of their deaths has not been disclosed to the public. Rose-Marie Saulnier was known for owning the Natural Choice Health Centre in Dieppe and later working as a nutritionist, herbalist, and naturotherapist at Sequoia Dieppe.
Bernard Saulnier, a former president of Acadia Electric, was actively involved in the Dieppe Rotary Club and a construction association in New Brunswick. The couple had two sons, Sylvio Saulnier and Luc Saulnier. Sylvio passed away in 2023 under non-criminal circumstances, according to the police.
A publication ban restricts the reporting of details leading up to the trial. The proceedings are scheduled to last for three months. Jury summonses were sent to 1,000 individuals, with jury selection taking place on a Saturday to accommodate a larger group in multiple courtrooms.
During the selection process, hundreds of potential jurors filled four courtrooms connected through audio and video links. Sixteen individuals, including two alternates, were selected to serve on the jury. Justice Cameron Gunn from Woodstock, N.B., is presiding over the trial, with Baker represented by defence lawyer Brian Munro.
The Crown prosecutors, James McConnell, Bradley Burgess, and Victoria Quirk, are handling the case. First-degree murder charges entail premeditated and intentional homicide, carrying an automatic life sentence with no possibility of parole for at least 25 years.