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A Vancouver jury convicted Tanvir Khakh and Girsumran Sahota in the July 2022 Whistler double murder of Meninder Dhaliwal and Satindera Gill.
A Vancouver jury has convicted Tanvir Khakh and Girsumran Sahota in the Whistler double murder of Meninder Dhaliwal and Satindera Gill, who were shot in July 2022. The jury found both men guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Dhaliwal and Sahota guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of Gill. The verdict was delivered Friday night after roughly 90 minutes of deliberations.
Verdict and mandatory sentences in Whistler case
The convictions carry mandatory life sentences. First-degree murder includes a 25-year period of parole ineligibility. For the second-degree murder conviction, the jury recommended that Sahota serve a minimum of 20 years before becoming eligible for parole.
The jury began deliberations shortly before 5:30 p.m. Friday and returned with its decision about an hour and a half later, according to Crown prosecutor Don Montrichard.
Khakh and Sahota are scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. to fix a date for a sentencing hearing. Montrichard said he expects that hearing to occur sometime later in October.
Shooting at Sundial Hotel driveway
On July 24, 2022, just after noon, two men dressed in all black, wearing baseball hats and medical masks, opened fire in the driveway of the Sundial Hotel. Dhaliwal and Gill were each shot multiple times and both succumbed to their injuries.
A few minutes after the shooting, a witness to a car fire on nearby Ptarmigan Place told police he had seen two men get into a black Chrysler 200 sedan shortly after a Honda CRV went up in flames. Police later recovered two handguns from that vehicle and linked them to the shooting through ballistic testing.
Less than an hour after the shooting, police in Squamish pulled over a vehicle matching the description provided by the car fire witness. Five men were inside, including Sahota and Khakh.
DNA evidence and defence arguments at trial
Blood on the clothing and shoes of both accused was tested for DNA and found to be a likely match to Dhaliwal. In expert testimony, Dr. Laurie Karchewski told the court there was only a one-in-5.6-quintillion chance the blood splatter came from somebody other than Dhaliwal.
The defence presented no evidence in the trial, as is their right. During closing arguments on Thursday, lawyers for Khakh and Sahota focused on poking holes in the Crown theory of the case.
They suggested that their clients could have switched clothes and shoes with someone after the killing and before their arrest, perhaps with the intention of contaminating evidence to help those who actually committed the murders.
In finding the defendants guilty, the jury concluded that the Crown had proven its case against them beyond a reasonable doubt.
Crown welcomes verdict and thanks investigators
Montrichard said the Crown wishes to thank the members of the jury for their time, commitment and service, along with Madam Justice Gropper.
He also recognized the hard work and dedication of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team investigators, along with the efforts of members of the Squamish detachment of the RCMP, who located and stopped a vehicle associated to the shooting incident in Whistler very shortly after it had unfolded.
Montrichard added that it is hoped the outcome will provide some closure for the relatives and friends of the victims.
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