A courtroom in Abbotsford, British Columbia, was filled with spectators as it was revealed that the suspects accused of killing an elderly couple had previously worked for them through a cleaning service. Arnold and Joanne De Jong were discovered missing after a family gathering at their residence on May 8, 2022, leading their son-in-law to investigate.
The prosecution claims that three individuals, Gurkaran Singh, Abhijeet Singh, and Khushveer Toor, are responsible for the murders, allegedly driven by financial issues and greed. These men have pleaded not guilty to two charges each of first-degree murder.
According to Crown prosecutor Dorothy Tsui, the accused had connections to the De Jongs through Abhijeet Singh’s cleaning company, which had serviced the couple’s home in July 2021 and April 2022. Gurkaran Singh, who arrived in Canada on a student visa in April 2022, and Khushveer Singh Toor both deposited sizable checks into their bank accounts shortly after the killings, supposedly signed by Joanne De Jong for “clean up of house” expenses.
During the trial, it was disclosed that the victims, found deceased in separate rooms, had their hands and feet bound with rope. The court heard grim details of the crime scene from Abbotsford police officers who were the first responders. Joanne De Jong was determined to have died from sharp and blunt force injuries, while Arnold De Jong’s cause of death was identified as asphyxiation.
Family members expressed disbelief over the tragic loss, with daughter Sandra Barthel stating, “Our brains comprehend that our parents are gone, but our hearts have just had a really tough time understanding the circumstances and understanding how this can happen to such loving parents of ours.” The trial, taking place at the B.C. Supreme Court in Abbotsford, is projected to span eight weeks, with the Crown planning to present testimony from at least 24 witnesses. The defense attorneys for the accused individuals have yet to present their side of the story.