Truro, N.S. homicide victim remembered as kind, hardworking

A young man who was the victim of a homicide in Truro, N.S., this weekend is remembered for his kind heart and willingness to help those he loved.

Family and friends have identified the 23-year-old as Prabhjot Singh Katri.

His cousin, Maninder Singh, said he worked two jobs to provide for his family back home in India.

“He was so nice. We didn’t imagine that this could happen,” he said.

Officers with the Truro Police Service responded to a two-storey apartment building on Robie Street just after 2 a.m. on Sunday to investigate a suspicious death.

The police force confirmed on Monday that it was a homicide but didn’t provide further details.

Singh, who came to Nova Scotia from Toronto to help with the investigation and plan the funeral, said he last spoke with his cousin a few weeks ago.

“We don’t know what’s going on … we really want to find out what’s the reason,” he said, adding that his cousin stayed away from drugs and alcohol.

Singh worried the crime was hate-motivated.

“That’s what we are thinking, because he was wearing a turban, right?” he said.

A GoFundMe set up to send his body home to India has raised more than $50,000.

“So he’s gone, he can’t come back, but at least his family can get some help,” said Singh.

A devastating loss

Darlene MacDonald, who was Singh’s supervisor at Layton’s Taxi, said she was shocked when she learned of his death.

“It was more than just a shock. It was devastating,” she said.

“He was a sweetheart, period, end of quotation. And it really fricking sucks.”

Singh had only been in the part-time job for a couple of months, but he left a big impression.

MacDonald said everyone who met him loved him.

“He was a very kind, gentle person that didn’t deserve what he got,” she said.