Three men charged with murder in killings of Abbotsford senior couple

Three men have each been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of an Abbotsford couple earlier this year.

Arnold De Jong, 77, and Joanne De Jong, 76, were found dead in a rural home in the 33600 block of Arcadian Way just before 10:30 a.m. on May 9, 2022.

1:24 Three men charged in deaths of Abbotsford couple

Gurkaran Singh, 20, Abhijeet Singh, 22, and Khushveer Toor, 22, were arrested in Surrey on Friday, Integrated Homicide Investigation Team spokesperson Sgt. Timothy Pierotti said.

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All three were arrested in Surrey, he added.

“I want to say our hearts, our thoughts and our prayers are with the De Jong family. We know this has been an incredibly difficult time for their daughters, their grandchildren, for family and friends,” Abbotsford Police Chief Mike Serr told media.

1:40 The revelation that double homicide victims in Abbotsford are a well known older couple raises concern about public safety

“We know today’s arrests and charges don’t necessarily bring closure, but we hope they bring some level of comfort to a family that has truly suffered greatly.”

Pierotti would not speak to a motive in the killings, with the cases now before the courts.

“It wasn’t a random attack. It was something where one of the individuals was known to the family,” he said.

“It was a complex investigation, and our members have been dedicated to it since day one, advancing it day by day.

At the time of the killings, Abbotsford police quickly determined the couple’s deaths were suspicious but said they believed they were not linked to the ongoing regional gang conflict.

Homicide investigators, meanwhile, said they weren’t sure if the killings were random or targeted.

That uncertainty rattled the community, and police stepped up patrols in a bid to ease fears.

“I knew Arnie and Joanne for over 40 years … I was shocked. They are a well-loved couple in our community,” then-mayor Henry Braun told 980 CKNW’s The Jas Johal Show at the time.

“I would encourage people to be vigilant in that area but in our community as a whole. If you see something that looks out of place, please call the police, because I’m concerned about this as a mayor.”

– More to come