3 Men Who Worked In Retired Couple’s House Brutally Killed Them In ‘Intimate And Prolonged’ Murders

A retired Canadian couple was found dead in May 2022 at their home in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Three men were arrested in connection with the deaths and were found guilty on May 8.

According to CBC, The Vancouver Sun and Global News, the couple were identified as Arnold De Jong, 77, and Joanne De Jong, 76. They were found dead in their beds on the morning of May 9, 2022.

According to the outlet, their bodies were discovered in a horrific setting. Joanne was found with her throat slashed and head bludgeoned, while her husband had a tape wrapped around his head. The medical examination report revealed that Arnold had trouble breathing due to his nose and mouth being taped.

It was determined that he died of asphyxiation. Both he and his wife had their hands and feet bound with rope, as reported by CBC.

Three men, Abhijeet Singh, Khushveer Toor, and Gurkaran Singh, all in their 20s, were arrested and charged with the murders. On May 8, the Supreme Court of British Columbia found them guilty of the killings. According to the outlet, they will be sentenced on May 28.

The outlets reported that Abhijeet Singh owned a cleaning company where the two other men also worked. The trio previously worked at the couple’s home several times. It was reported that just days after the murders, Singh made some “exceptionally damning” internet searches about punishment for murders in Canada.

Prosecutors claimed that the three men stole credit cards to make some personal payments and attempted to cash checks. They also stole a power washer and several checks from the home. According to the Times Colonist, following the murders and the stealing, they “hastily” fled the scene.

However, during the trial, Justice Brenda Brown rejected the defense team’s argument that a failed robbery attempt resulted in the murders. According to The Vancouver Sun, she said that the killings were “intimate and prolonged.” She added that the murders “speak of calculation and determination," and therefore, they had to be premeditated.

A day before the murders, Arnold and Joanne celebrated Mother’s Day with their three adult daughters, their sons-in-law, and their grandchildren. Sandra Barthel, one of the daughters, told reporters, “I think the saddest thing for all of us is that we didn’t realize that that would be goodbye.”

She also reflected on the recent court date that felt "excruciating," Barthel said. ”I think we all tried to distract ourselves somewhat with work and our kids. And I think we went in knowing that no matter what, we're the ones with the life sentence. I think we had to tell ourselves that a verdict isn't going to make us whole again."