Three Indian-Origin Men Convicted in Couple’s Murder

Three men of Indian origin have been convicted of first-degree murder in Canada for the killing of a couple in Abbotsford. The victims, Arnold and Joanne De Jong, were found dead in their home in May 2022.

Four years later, a British Columbia Supreme Court judge ruled that Gurkaran Singh, Abhijeet Singh, and Khushveer Toor played a willing role in the couple’s murder. The judge agreed with prosecutors who argued the killings were motivated by financial gain, rejecting claims that the deaths were accidental during a robbery gone wrong.

Prosecutors said the three men planned to rob and kill the couple, stealing items like credit cards and a power washer from their home. The accused worked together for a cleaning company owned by Abhijeet Singh, which had previously done work at the De Jongs’ residence. All three men, in their 20s, initially pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.

The victims were found in separate bedrooms, with Arnold’s head and face wrapped in duct tape and Joanne’s body showing signs of violence. CBC News reported that prosecutors presented DNA evidence, rope used to bind Arnold, and a metal baseball bat from the suspects’ vehicle as key evidence linking them to the crime. Additionally, phone data showed Abhijeet Singh searched online for information about how murderers are punished in Canada after learning of the killings.