Abhijeet Singh, Gurkaran Singh and Khushveer Toor have been found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2022 killings of 77-year-old Arnold De Jong and 76-year-old Joanne De Jong in Abbotsford, British Columbia.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Brenda Brown ruled on Friday that all three men were “willing, knowledgeable and integral participants” in the deadly home invasion on May 9, 2022, rejecting defence claims that the incident was a botched robbery.
“I’m satisfied that the murders of both victims were carefully planned, deliberated and executed. I’m satisfied that each accused is guilty of first-degree murder.”
The court heard the elderly couple was attacked inside their rural Arcadian Way home after the accused, who had previously carried out cleaning work at the property, entered the residence and carried out what prosecutors described as a pre-planned robbery and killing. Arnold De Jong died after his head was wrapped in duct tape and he was suffocated, while Joanne De Jong was beaten and suffered fatal injuries including a slashed throat.
Justice Brown said the prosecution had proven the murders were not committed by a single individual, but rather as a coordinated act involving all three men acting together. She accepted Crown arguments that the killings were motivated by financial gain, with credit cards, cheques and household items stolen from the home.
During the eight-week trial, the court heard the men had conducted preparatory steps including purchasing rope, a screwdriver and a bat shortly before the attack. Investigators also found DNA evidence linking all three accused to the crime scene and objects used in the assault, including a baseball bat recovered from a vehicle associated with them.
Prosecutors told the court the trio fled British Columbia shortly after the killings. One accused was found to have conducted online searches relating to murder penalties in Canada, which the Crown described as “exceptionally damning”.
The victims’ family members, who attended the verdict hearing along with multiple packed overflow rooms, said they felt a measure of relief following the guilty findings, though acknowledged it could not undo their loss.
Sentencing for Abhijeet Singh, Toor and Gurkaran Singh is scheduled for 28 May.
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