Abotsford/Surrey – March 2025 Update (with files from Black Press) Black Press reports that A trial that was scheduled to start in May for three Surrey men accused of a double homicide in Abbotsford has been delayed for at least two of them.
Gurkaran Singh, Abhijeet Singh and Khushveer Toor were set to go to trial starting May 27 for the 2022 killings of Arnold and Joanne De Jong.
BC Prosecution Service told Black Press that the two Singhs applied in January 2025 to have their trial adjourned due to their lawyers being involved in another matter that has gone on longer than expected.
Their trial is now expected to start in January 2026, but the dates are to be confirmed at a pre-trial conference currently scheduled for November 18.
All three men initially elected to be tried by judge and jury, but the Crown agreed to their re-election for a judge-alone trial.
September 2023 UPDATE (wth files from Black Press) – A trial date has been set for three Surrey men accused of killing Abbotsford couple Arnold and Joanne De Jong in May 2022.
Jury selection for Gurkaran Singh, Abhijeet Singh and Khushveer Toor – all in their early 20s – has been set for May 14, 2024, with the trial scheduled to begin May 27.
The three were each charged in December 2022 with two counts of first-degree murder.
DECEMBER 2022 UPDATE – IHIT announced on that three Surrey men have been charged in relation to the May 2022 killing of 77 year old Arnold De Jong and his 76 year old wife, Joanne De Jong.
Gurkaran Singh, 22, Abhjeet Singh, 20, and Khushveer Toor, 20, have each been charged with first-degree murder.
December 16, 2022 IHIT Official Statement:
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has charged three men with the murders of Arnold and Joanne De Jong, from May 2022 in Abbotsford.
Background: On May 9, 2022, at around 10:26 a.m., Abbotsford Police Department (AbbyPD) responded to a residence in the 33600-block of Arcadian Way at which time two adults were found deceased. AbbyPD patrol members confirmed the deaths as being suspicious and IHIT was called in to investigate. The victims were identified as 77-year-old Arnold De Jong and his wife, 76-year-old Joanne De Jong, of Abbotsford. IHIT continue to work closely in partnership with AbbyPD to further the investigation.
On December 16, 2022, IHIT investigators, along with members of AbbyPD, arrested three suspects for the murders of Joanna and Arnold De Jong.
Two charges of first degree murder have been laid against each of the following individuals:
20-year old Gurkaran Singh, 22-year old Abhijeet Singh and 22-year old Khushveer Toor. All three men reside in Surrey.
“Today we are a step closer to finding justice for Mr. and Mrs. De Jong. Their senseless murders shook our community to the core,” says Abbotsford Police Department Chief Serr. “I am grateful for the tireless efforts of IHIT, our AbbyPD Major Crime, Patrol, Forensic Identification and plainclothes teams to secure these charges. I appreciate our community’s support and their trust that we would never rest until those responsible were held accountable”
As this matter is now before the courts, there will be no further comment.
