Three men found guilty of first-degree murder in British Columbia trial
Justice Brenda Brown ruled that the killings were a planned and deliberate act
Three men have been found guilty of first-degree murder in the brutal killings of a retired Canadian couple, Arnold and Joanne De Jong.
The British Columbia Supreme Court delivered the verdict on Friday, nearly four years after the victims were discovered bound and killed in their Abbotsford home in May 2022.
The defendants, Abhijeet Singh, Khushveer Toor, and Gurkaran Singh, were all in their twenties and had previously worked at the property for a cleaning company.
Justice Brenda Brown rejected claims that the murders were a "robbery gone wrong," describing the acts as "intimate and prolonged."
Arnold De Jong, 77, died of asphyxiation after being bound and wrapped in tape, while his 76-year-old wife, Joanne, was bludgeoned and suffered a slashed throat.
Evidence showed the men stole credit cards and cheques, which they attempted to use shortly after fleeing the scene. "It's so bittersweet. We have this first-degree conviction for all three suspects on both counts. But yet we still grieve," said Kimberley Coleman, one of the couple's three daughters.
Her sister, Sandra Barthel, noted the family still carries "the life sentence" of their loss. The court heard that DNA from all three men was recovered at the crime scene, and internet searches regarding murder punishments were found on Abhijeet Singh’s phone. Sentencing for the three men is scheduled for 28 May in Abbotsford.
The De Jongs are survived by three daughters and several grandchildren, who had spent a final Mother's Day together just before the tragedy occurred.