Three Men Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder in Abbotsford, British Columbia

May 10, 2026, 13:35
CanadaOther

Introduction

The British Columbia Supreme Court has found three men guilty of planning and carrying out the murders of Arnold and Joanne De Jong.

Main Body

Justice Brenda Brown ruled that Gurkaran Singh, Abhijeet Singh, and Khushveer Toor organized a home invasion on May 9, 2022, to steal money. The victims, aged 77 and 76, were found dead in their bedrooms. Forensic evidence showed that Arnold De Jong died from smothering, while Joanne De Jong died from stab wounds to the neck and a serious head injury. Before the crime, the three men had a professional relationship with the victims because they worked for a cleaning company owned by Abhijeet Singh that had cleaned the house. Justice Brown emphasized that the killers decided to murder the couple because the victims would have recognized them. To prove their guilt, the court used DNA evidence from the scene, the materials used to tie up the victims, and a metal baseball bat found in the suspects' car. Furthermore, digital records showed that Abhijeet Singh searched the internet for information about Canadian prison laws after the crime became public. Although the defense argued that the deaths happened by accident during a robbery, the court rejected this and agreed with the prosecution that the murders were planned.

Conclusion

The defendants will be sentenced on May 28 and face a mandatory life sentence, meaning they cannot apply for parole for at least 25 years.

Learning

⚡ The 'B2 Leap': Moving from Simple Actions to Complex Intentions

At the A2 level, you describe what happened. At the B2 level, you describe why and how it was planned. Look at this shift in the text:

"The killers decided to murder the couple because the victims would have recognized them."

🎯 The Magic of 'Would Have' + Past Participle

This is a 'Conditional' structure. An A2 student says: "They killed them because the victims knew them." (Simple fact).

But a B2 speaker uses "would have [verb]" to talk about a hypothetical situation in the past. The killers weren't thinking about the present; they were imagining a future danger: 'If we leave them alive, they will recognize us.'

When we report this later, it becomes: would have recognized.

🛠️ Upgrade Your Vocabulary: Precision over Simplicity

Stop using "bad" or "big." Look at how the article uses High-Precision Verbs to create a professional tone:

  • Instead of "said no," the text uses extrejected ext{rejected}.
  • Instead of "started," the text uses extorganized ext{organized}.
  • Instead of "did a crime," the text uses extcarryingout ext{carrying out}.

Pro Tip: To reach B2, stop using general verbs. If you are talking about a plan, don't just "do" it—carry it out. If you are talking about an idea, don't just "say no" to it—reject it.

🔍 Logical Connectors

Notice the word "Furthermore."

An A2 student uses "And... and... and." A B2 student uses connectors to build a legal case. "Furthermore" tells the reader: "I have already given you evidence, and now I am adding something even more important."

Try replacing "And also" with:

  • extFurthermore ext{Furthermore} (Adding a strong point)
  • extMoreover ext{Moreover} (Adding extra information)
  • extConsequently ext{Consequently} (Showing a result)

Vocabulary Learning

guilty
Found to have committed a crime
Example:The jury declared the defendant guilty after reviewing the evidence.
planning
The act of making arrangements in advance
Example:The investigation focused on the planning stage of the robbery.
murder
The unlawful killing of a person
Example:The police are searching for evidence of the murder that occurred last night.
victims
People harmed or killed in a crime
Example:The victims were found alive but severely injured.
forensic
Relating to the application of science to law
Example:Forensic analysis helped identify the suspect.
evidence
Facts or information that support a claim
Example:The judge examined the evidence before making a ruling.
smothering
The act of suffocating someone
Example:The police found signs of smothering at the crime scene.
professional
Relating to a paid occupation
Example:He has a professional relationship with the client.
relationship
A connection or association between people
Example:Their relationship was based on mutual respect.
cleaning
The act of removing dirt
Example:The cleaning service finished the house by evening.
emphasized
Gave special importance to
Example:The witness emphasized the suspect's suspicious behavior.
recognize
To identify someone from previous knowledge
Example:The victim could recognize the attacker from the photo.
prove
To show that something is true
Example:The scientists proved the theory with experiments.
DNA
Genetic material used for identification
Example:DNA evidence linked the suspect to the crime.
digital
Relating to computers or electronic data
Example:The investigation used digital records to trace the suspect's movements.