Mississauga murder suspect staged his own suicide before killing: police

A man wanted for the killing of a 21-year-old woman at a Mississauga gas station last year “intentionally went missing” and attempted to fake his suicide before the murder, police say.

Two of his family members have now been arrested and charged with accessory to murder after the fact, while he is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant, police added.

Peel Regional Police issued an update on Monday in the investigation into the death of Brampton resident Pawanpreet Kaur, who was shot at a gas station in the area of Creditview Road and Britannia Road West where she worked on Dec 3.

Global News previously learned that Kaur had just stepped out of the front doors of the gas station when she was shot multiple times.

Police have said they believe the incident was targeted.

Officers previously said the suspect was on a bicycle and on foot in the area hours before the killing.

In Monday’s update, investigators announced that 30-year-old Dharam Singh Dhaliwal is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for first-degree murder. Investigators confirmed that the suspect and victim were in an intimate relationship for around a year.

“Dharam Dhaliwal intentionally went missing in September 2022, but investigation has revealed that this was part of a plan in the murder of Pawanpreet Kaur,” police said.

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In an interview with Global News, Peel police media officer Const. Mandeep Khatra said Dharam also attempted to fake his own suicide.

“At the time, his last known location was determined to be somewhere near Niagara Falls,” Khatra said.

“The missing report was an intentional act by him to try and mislead the police to believe that he has committed suicide when in fact he was still alive.”

Khatra said “evidence at the scene” was found and determined to have been an attempt to make investigators believe that Dharam was dead. He was allegedly reported missing by his brother.

Sources told Global News investigators believe Dharam faked his suicide because they found his car with a suicide note in a parking lot near the Falls days after he was reporting missing. They also found his shoes and car keys on a ledge, over the falls. But his body was never recovered.

Global News has also learned through police sources that in April 2022, Dharam was charged with extortion, uttering threats and kidnapping during his relationship with Kaur. He was also charged with forcible confinement and sexual assault at the same time. He was released on bail with a number of conditions.

Then, in September 2022, Global News understands he was charged with failure to comply with a court order, uttering death threats, obstruction of justice and intimidation of justice.

Warrants were put out for his arrest because he had gone missing, a source said.

Police said they have Dhaliwal’s passport. It was surrendered as a condition of his release.

Dharam was described as five-foot-eight, 170 pounds with a tattoo on his left hand.

Police said he is “considered armed and dangerous” and said that if someone sees him, they should not approach and should call police immediately.

Police also announced that last Tuesday, two family members were arrested in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Twenty-five-year-old Pritpal Dhaliwal, Dharam’s brother, and 50-year-old Amarjit Dhaliwal, Dharam’s mother, were charged with accessory to murder after the fact, police said.

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Det. Sgt. Davis Baxter said it’s believed there are members of the public assisting Dharam in evading police.

Baxter said he’s known to have ties in New Brunswick, Ontario, Winnipeg, and B.C.

“It is also likely Dharam has changed his appearance and (is) possibly using a new name to avoid police,” Baxter said, while encouraging him to seek legal counsel and turn himself in.

Anyone with information can contact police at 905-453-2121 ext. 3205 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.