Preliminary inquiry concludes for man accused of 2019 Dieppe double murder

A preliminary inquiry concluded Tuesday morning for a Moncton man accused of a 2019 double murder in Dieppe, with the case now set to move to a higher level of court where he will stand trial.

Janson Bryan Baker, 28, faces two charges of first-degree murder. It's alleged he killed Bernard Saulnier, 78, and Rose-Marie Saulnier, 74, on Sept. 7, 2019.

The case was back in Moncton provincial court Monday and Tuesday for the preliminary inquiry, which is a hearing held to test the Crown's evidence. 

Defence lawyer Alex Pate said in August that Baker was consenting to standing trial, but requested the inquiry still take place to hear testimony from several witnesses.

Evidence from the three witnesses who testified cannot be reported because of a publication ban imposed by Judge Ronald LeBlanc. 

After the testimony concluded, LeBlanc ordered Baker to stand trial in the Court of King's Bench.

Baker is expected to appear in that higher level of court on Jan. 6, when trial dates may be set.

The charges against Baker were laid last year on the fourth anniversary of the discovery of the Saulniers' bodies in their Amirault Street home.