Abbotsford woman murder: Four men, including husband charged

The husband of a woman who was run down and killed by a pickup truck in Abbotsford four years ago has been charged with first-degree murder. An initial investigation indicated that foul play was involved in the death of Kulwinder Kaur Gill and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) was called in to lead the murder investigation.

The husband of a woman who was run down and killed by a pickup truck in Abbotsford four years ago has been charged with first-degree murder.

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On April 27, 2009, members of the Abbotsford police department were called to the 34000-block Townshipline Road in Abbotsford, after a report that a woman had been struck by a vehicle, which had left the scene.

An initial investigation indicated that foul play was involved in the death of Kulwinder Kaur Gill and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) was called in to lead the murder investigation.

Charged with first-degree murder is 49-year-old Abbotsford resident Iqbal Singh Gill, the husband of the victim.

Also charged with first-degree murder are 26-year-old Abbotsford resident Gurpreet Singh Atwal and 28-year-old Surrey resident Jaspreet Singh Sohi.

A fourth man, Sukhpal Singh Johal, 26, of Surrey, has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and accessory after the fact.

Gill, Sohi and Johal were to appear in court on Monday in Abbotsford. Atwal was to appear via video conferencing.

Supt Kevin Hackett of IHIT said in a statement that his officers worked closely with Abbotsford police to get the charges.

"Since 2009, this investigation has been one of IHIT's top priorities," Hackett said.

"We have led a determined and focused investigation and as a result have now obtained the evidence required to bring the investigation to where it is today.

"With that, we are here to announce that arrests have been made and charges against four individuals have been laid."

Kulwinder Gill, 42, was the mother of two children.

She and her husband were part owners with two other men of an Abbotsford home that the province seized under B.C.'s civil forfeiture act.

The three-storey home on Siskin Drive was used as a marijuana grow-op from May 30, 2003 to March 17, 2011, according to documents filed in BC Supreme Court in 2011.

The four owners made the down payment on the house with proceeds from the sale of marijuana, according to the claim.

Police searched the home on March 17, 2011 and found a "sophisticated hand-watered marijuana grow-op" in the garage, which had a separate entrance. Inside, 1,040 pot plants were growing, the documents stated.

Police also found a submachine-gun, an assault rifle, a handgun, ammunition and $4,000 in cash in the house.

The property changed hands in August 2012.