Robert Cantor's murder - Five details explored

The 59-year-old Teaneck resident, Robert Cantor, was found dead and burnt beyond recognition in his apartment in the early hours of March 6, 2011. While he was in a healthy relationship with Sophie Menuet, things did not allegedly settle right with her ex-husband Sui Kam Tung.

Sui Kam Tung, better known as Tony Tung, resorted to spying on his wife's emails, turning up at Cantor's house, and threatening to ensure their marriage lasted as he was reportedly dependent on Menuet's income. However, Menuet served him the divorce papers on March 3, 2011 - an incident that possibly drove him over the edge and led to Robert Cantor's murder.

The Dateline NBC episode The Room Downstairs navigates brings the harrowing details of Cantor's murder as it airs on January 4, 2024, at 10 p.m. EST.

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Five details of Robert Cantor's murder case explored

1) Robert Cantor's Teaneck house set ablaze with grain alcohol

Robert Cantor was found dead in his basement bedroom at approximately 11:30 p.m. on March 6, 2011, charred beyond recognition. His Elm Avenue neighbours noticed flames in his apartment and informed firefighters who discovered Cantor's body.

The house was doused with grain alcohol and set on fire a an approximate time between 10:30 p.m. on March 5, 2011 and 1:00 a.m. on March 6, 2011. Cantor's body was identified to belong to him using dental records.

2) Cantor was shot in the head with a .380 calibre handgun

Robert Cantor's autopsy reports showcased a bullet wound to his head made with a .380 calibre handgun. The shell casing was recovered from the crime scene itself.

The primary accused, Tony Tung, had allegedly purchased a handgun using $2,000 from the family savings fund days before the murder and showed it to Cantor's lover and his ex-wife, Sophie Menuet, to threaten her with danger. His search history gave investigators records of handguns and magazines that Tung had been searching for online.

3) Robert Cantor was killed in the bed he had had s*x with Sophie Menuet

Sui Kam Tung had reportedly entered Cantor's Teaneck apartment on three occasions in the ten months leading up to his murder. He had confronted Cantor about his extramarital affair with his wife and demanded to see where the couple had first consummated their relationship.

Cantor had met Sophie Menuet at a wine-and-cheese event after a lecture in September 2009 after which the two exchanged emails. Robert was found shot and burnt to death on the same bed on March 6, 2011.

4) Tony Tung had installed spyware on Sophie's computer

As Cantor and Menuet's relationship grew more intimate, Sophie tried to discuss their failing marriage with Tony. Tony Tung was financially dependent on Sophie Menuet and her income which meant that a divorce would mean bad news.

He had allegedly installed a keylogger software on Sophie Menuet's computer that gave him access to her emails with Robert Cantor. He sent anonymous emails to Cantor and forwarded two of his emails to his mail address subsequently.

5) Tony Tung was tried twice and sentenced to life in prison

Placed as the primary suspect in the homicide with jealousy as the motive, Tony Tung was tried on charges of murder, desecration of human remains, aggravated arson, evidence tampering, hindering apprehension, stalking and weapons offences. He was sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years in February 2016.

However, his conviction was overturned by a state appeals court and he was offered a new trial in 2023 owing to trial errors. He was, however, found guilty on all charges and resentenced to life in prison without parole.