BC Murder Trial Opens with Crown Alleging Financial Motive
The trial of three Indian men accused of murdering an elderly couple in British Columbia has commenced. Crown prosecutor Dorothy Tsui stated the defendants were driven by debt, financial pressure and greed.
Victims and Discovery
Arnold and Joanne De Jong were found dead in their home on May 9, 2022. The elderly couple became victims in a case that has shocked the local community.
Connection Through Cleaning Work
Prosecutors revealed a prior connection between the accused and the victims. Abhijeet Singh operated a cleaning company that serviced the De Jong home in July 2021 and April 2022. Gurkaran Singh and Khushveer Singh Toor also cleaned the couple's home and gutters months before the alleged murder plot developed.
Post-Murder Actions
After the killings, the men reportedly took the couple's credit cards, cheques and a pressure washer. Financial records show Gurkaran Singh and Khushveer Singh Toor deposited cheques exceeding $5,000 into their bank accounts shortly after the murders. These cheques appeared to bear Joanne De Jong's signature.
Background of the Accused
Gurkaran Singh arrived in Canada on a student visa less than a month before the killings. He was supposed to attend Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek, BC, but never enrolled. All three men fled British Columbia after the murder, renting a basement apartment in Surrey where they lived together until their 2022 arrest.
Trial Details and Evidence
The trial began on Monday and is scheduled to last 40 days. The Crown expects to call at least 24 witnesses. Prosecutors indicated they will present a substantial body of circumstantial evidence linking the men to the crime. This evidence includes:
- Fingerprints found at the scene
- DNA on a weapon discovered in the trunk of a car they used
- Cellphone records placing them near the location
- Financial transactions showing suspicious deposits
- Evidence recovered from electronic devices
The three men have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges. The trial continues as the Crown builds its case against them.
