BOSTON, June 30, 2017—Five and a half years after he allegedly murdered Judith and Stephanie Emile and fled the United States, a one-time fugitive was ordered held without bail on two first-degree murder indictments, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

JEAN WEEVINS JANVIER (D.O.B. 11/15/81), formerly of Dorchester and apprehended earlier this month in Haiti, was arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court for the 2011 homicides of Judith Emile, 23, and her sister, Stephanie Emile, 21, inside their Harlem Street apartment, as well as two counts of armed assault in a dwelling and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.

At the request of Assistant District Attorney Mark Lee, deputy chief of the DA’s Homicide Unit, Clerk Magistrate Lisa Medeiros ordered Janvier held without bail.

“The evidence strongly suggests that Stephanie and Judith Emile were victims of domestic violence,” Conley said. “If you, a friend, or a family member are in an abusive or controlling relationship, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Reaching out could save a life.”

Conley urged victims of any crime, including intimate partner violence, to call 911 in an emergency. SafeLink, a statewide domestic violence hotline, can be reached at 877-785-2020. SafeLink is answered by trained advocates 24 hours a day in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, as well as TTY at 877-521-2601. It also has the capacity to provide multilingual translation in more than 140 languages.

Janvier had been in a romantic relationship with Stephanie Emile that ended several weeks prior to Nov. 14, 2011. He had expressed anger about the end of the relationship, and placed several calls to Stephanie in a short period of time that morning.

At about 9:15 am, Boston Police responded to the sisters’ Harlem Street home to find both Stephanie and Judith Emile suffering from fatal gunshot injuries. Based on interviews, forensic evidence, and additional information developed in the days and weeks that followed, Boston Police obtained a warrant for Janvier’s arrest on Jan. 26, 2012. That investigation continued on the street and behind the closed doors of the Suffolk County Grand Jury, leading to his indictment in April of that year.

Janvier, who is believed to have fled the United States shortly after the homicides, was added to the US Marshals Service 15 Most Wanted list in 2016. With the cooperation of the US Diplomatic Security Service, US Attorney’s office, and Haitian National Police, he was apprehended in Santo, Haiti, earlier this month and returned to the United States for prosecution on the 2012 indictments.

Elise McConnell is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Janvier is represented by attorney James Budreau. He will return to court on Aug. 1.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.