More than two years after New Brunswick businessman Richard Oland was found dead in his Saint John office, his son is being charged with second-degree murder in connection with the case.

Dennis Oland, 45, was arrested without incident Tuesday in the Rothesay area.

He appeared in a Saint John courtroom Wednesday afternoon to face the second-degree murder charge. Dennis Oland’s family – including his mother, wife, two sisters and uncle – were also in court and have issued statements proclaiming his innocence.

In a press conference Wednesday morning, Saint John police chief Bill Reid did not disclose what investigators believe the murder weapon or motivation for the crime was, saying it was evidence he could not share at this time.

But speaking to CTV Atlantic on Wednesday afternoon, Reid said “certainly there’s a financial aspect to (the crime), so there would be motive there, there’s a family history – could be motivation there.”

Richard Oland, whose family owns Moosehead Breweries Ltd., was found dead on July 7, 2011.

"(Richard Oland) expired after what I would categorize as repeated blows to his body," Reid said.

Judge R. Leslie Jackson of the New Brunswick court has not allowed the release of any information considered to be important evidence, including anything relating to the crime scene or physical condition and position of Richard Oland's body.

Dennis Oland was publicly identified as a suspect in the case in search warrants released in May. According to the documents, he owed his father more than $500,000 and was "experiencing financial hardships."

The search warrants say that Dennis Oland was wearing a blue jacket the day before his father’s body was found on July 6, 2011. But two people told police they saw him wearing a brown jacket that day.

Surveillance video also captured Dennis Oland wearing a brown jacket when he arrived and left his place of work that day, warrants say.

Last month, a sworn affidavit from Saint John police Sgt. Tony Hayes was released stating that blood on a brown Hugo Boss sports jacket seized from Dennis Oland’s Rothesay home matched the elder Oland’s DNA profile.

The affidavit says the jacket was resubmitted to the lab in March 2012, after more blood evidence was found in three other areas.

DNA originating from two people was found in one area of the jacket’s right cuff, the affidavit says.

The affidavit also says a dry cleaning tag was found on the jacket, showing the coat had been taken to V.I.P Dry Cleaners in Rothesay on July 8, 2011 – the day after Richard Oland was found dead in his Saint John office.

And according to the affidavit, Dennis Oland told police on July 7, 2011, that his father had bankrolled his divorce a few years earlier, and that he was paying him back in interest-only payments. 

Police found payments made to Richard Oland’s personal chequing account, but no deposits were made in May and June 2011, according to documents.

Reid said the Crown gave approval for the second-degree murder charge approximately three weeks ago, a year after the force was given more direction on the further interviews and forensic work needed to make an arrest.

"It’s very complicated. Unlike most serious crimes, we had very little evidence in terms of witnesses, people directing us, those types of things so it was always process driven,” said Reid. He described the investigation as a complex one that was similar to “putting together a mosaic."

Reid says no one else will be charged as a result of the police investigation.

"As it stands, today points clearly to one individual: Dennis Oland."

Richard Oland’s brother, Derek Oland, released a statement Tuesday night saying the family believes Dennis is innocent.

"We will rely on the court of law, believing in the judicial process," the statement says.

"Our nephew and cousin Dennis is, in fact, innocent and we will support him and his family members through the course of whatever legal actions unfold. Right now, it is of no help or value to engage in dialogue or speculation about what did or didn’t happen in the murder of Richard Oland. Rather, we must allow the evidence to be examined and the rule of law to unfold as it will."

Richard Oland left Moosehead Breweries in the 1980s, to work at the Saint John Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. He was also a director of several firms. In recognition for his work in the community, particularly as president of the New Brunswick Museum, Oland was made an officer of the Order of Canada in 1998.

Dennis Oland will be back in court next week to set a date for a preliminary hearing.

With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Atlantic