The trial of three Indian-origin men accused of brutally killing an elderly Canadian couple in British Columbia in 2022 began on Monday, drawing intense attention as new details have emerged.
Gurkaran Singh, Abhijeet Singh, and Khushveer Singh Toor are charged with two counts each of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Arnold and Joanne De Jong, whose bodies were discovered bound and murdered in their Abbotsford home on May 9, 2022, as per reports.
The prosecutors said that the couple was last seen alive after hosting a family dinner on May 8, 2022. After that, when the family tried to reach them the next morning, however nobody answered. The following morning, their son-in-law went to check on them and made the horrific discovery.
Canadian couple was murdered for money
Prosecutor Dorothy Tsui outlined the evidence the Crown intends to present. They believe that crime was motivated by financial gain and greed, and they also found several suspicious transactions. “While processing the scene, a forensic identification officer heard a voicemail being left on the De Jongs’ landline phone, indicating that there were suspicious transactions on a credit card,” Tsui told the courtroom. “The police followed up on the lead and got the banking and phone records in an attempt to identify the potential suspects.”
Prosecutors allege that the three men were financially connected to the De Jongs through a cleaning company owned by Abhijeet Singh, which had done work at the couple’s home in July 2021 and April 2022. Gurkaran Singh, who arrived in Canada on a student visa on April 16, 2022, is said to have deposited a cheque for $3,601 into his bank account shortly after the murders, while Khushveer Singh Toor similarly deposited a cheque for the same amount. Both cheques were purportedly signed by Joanne and had “cleanup of house” listed in the memo lines.
Chilling details of the murder of Canadian couple
The evidence outlined also includes the chilling condition in which the couple was found. Police officials described that Arnold was discovered lying on a bed beneath a comforter with duct tape wrapped tightly around his head, covering his nose and mouth which would have prevented him from breathing. Joanne was found in a separate bedroom on her back with visible blood around her head and neck.
Tsui told the court that a pathologist will testify that the medical cause of death for Arnold was asphyxiation, while Joanne died from sharp and blunt force trauma.
All three accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial is expected to continue for several weeks as the Crown builds its case against them.
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