Shillong, June 26: A 40-year-old Indo-Canadian Sikh man has pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of his wife, Harpreet Kaur Gill, at their home in British Columbia province. Navinder Gill admitted to stabbing his wife multiple times on December 7, 2022, at their residence in Surrey’s 66th Avenue, according to CBC News.
Harpreet, a 40-year-old teacher and mother of three, was found critically injured from the stab wounds and later succumbed to her injuries in the hospital.
Navinder was taken into custody by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) on December 15 and was charged the following day with second-degree murder.
Navinder’s lawyer, Gagan Nahal, stated that his client acknowledges his mistake and expressed remorse during the court proceedings. The incident is described as a tragic event.
On June 22, Navinder entered a guilty plea and is scheduled to be sentenced at the New Westminster Supreme Court next month.
According to Nahal, Harpreet’s family is expected to present victim impact statements during the sentencing. Harpreet’s parents and brother, residing in India, are devastated by the loss of their daughter and sister. They are also concerned about the future of their grandchildren and are seeking legal advice regarding custody arrangements, as stated in a GoFundMe statement.
The case highlights the prevalence of domestic violence, also known as intimate partner violence and conjugal violence, in Canada. Statistics Canada recorded 788 homicide victims in 2021, with 90 of those being killed by an intimate partner.