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'It was a tragic, unfortunate accident': killer tells sentencing hearing

Harjot Singh Deo, who was 19 at the time and is now 25, pleaded guilty to the 2017 manslaughter of 19-year-old Bhavkiran "Kiran" Dhesi.

Harjot Deo enters B.C. Supreme Court earlier this week for his sentencing hearing.
Harjot Deo enters B.C. Supreme Court earlier this week for his sentencing hearing. Photo by Jason Payne /PNG

A man who fatally shot his teenage girlfriend by accident apologized to the victim’s family at a sentencing hearing Thursday, saying the death “hurts me so deeply every day.”

In February, Harjot Singh Deo, who was 19 at the time and is now 25, pleaded guilty to the August 2017 manslaughter of 19-year-old Bhavkiran (Kiran) Dhesi at Deo’s family home in Surrey. He also pleaded guilty to interfering with her body.

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Court heard that Deo, who was engaged in a criminal lifestyle at the time and carried an illegal firearm, had been out to dinner earlier in the evening with Dhesi, who arrived at his home in a BMW.

When they drove back to the home after dinner, the two went upstairs to Deo’s bedroom where Deo unintentionally shot Dhesi in the head. As he was pulling the firearm out of his pocket, the gun accidentally went off.

The victim collapsed on Deo’s bed and died instantly. Later, Deo put Dhesi’s body in the BMW and drove it to another location where he set it on fire. He also assisted in disposing of a bloody mattress and other evidence. The firearm was never recovered.

On Thursday, the second day of a sentencing hearing in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, Deo took the opportunity to address the court and members of the victim’s family in the public gallery.

“I would like to apologize to Kiran’s family,” said Deo as he stood in front of the prisoner’s dock. “I can’t imagine the pain and grief I’ve caused you. Nobody deserves to lose their life, and no family, not a single family in this world, deserves the pain I’ve brought upon her family.”

Deo apologized for what he called his “careless actions,” adding that he didn’t mean to hurt the victim.

“I loved her so much, I would never have hurt her. Knowing that somehow I caused her death hurts me so deeply every day and I have to live my life knowing the person I loved so deeply died by my hand.”

Deo added that he didn’t expect Dhesi’s family to forgive him.

“It was a tragic, unfortunate accident that has devastated them and broke me, but I’m ready to accept the consequences and pick up the pieces and try to live on. I hope her family and friends find some comfort in knowing what truly happened.”

Deo’s apology did not go down well with at least one member of the victim’s family.

Anjali Dhesi, a sister of Kiran, said outside court that she didn’t believe Deo was remorseful for anything he had done.

“If he actually felt bad for what he did to Kiran, he could have pleaded guilty five years ago when he originally got charged with second-degree murder,” she told reporters.

“He could have just pled then and the fact that he’s waited so long to plead to a lesser charge, and they’re arguing for him to get less time, just shows that he’s not remorseful. This is just a show for the court.”

Crown called for a sentence of 10 years in prison for Deo, with the defence arguing that six years in jail was more appropriate.

Anjali Dhesi said that no jail time will ever be enough for her family.

“It’s not going to bring Kiran back. But for the indignity to human remains charge, for everything that he did after he killed Kiran, what the defence is saying is not enough. He tried to erase her completely. He attempted to take away our chance to say bye to her. So six years is not enough. That’s almost like a slap in the face for us.”

Justice Jeanne Watchuk is expected to hand down her sentence Oct. 18.

kfraser@postmedia.com

  1. On August 2, 2017 at around 12:20 a.m., the body of 19-year-old Bhavkiran Dhesi was found inside a burning vehicle in the 18700-block of 24 Avenue in Surrey, B.C. Bhavkiran's death was deemed a homicide.

    Boyfriend pleads guilty to accidentally shooting and killing Surrey teen Kiran Dhesi

  2. Two more people have been charged in relation to the death of Bhavkiran Dhesi (pictured in this file photo).

    Five people now charged in death of Surrey teen Bhavkiran Dhesi

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