by A Delta man has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the death of a man from Abbotsford in 2023 in Burnaby. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) made the announcement on Friday afternoon.
The incident took place on September 16, 2023, when Burnaby RCMP responded to reports of shots fired in the 3400-block of North Road. Upon arrival, officers discovered the body of 29-year-old Gagandeep Sandhu of Abbotsford in an underground parkade. Shortly after, a vehicle fire was reported on Greenwood Street and Bainbridge Avenue, where a black Honda Pilot was found engulfed in flames.
IHIT took charge of the investigation and worked closely with Burnaby RCMP, BC Coroners Service, and the Integrated Forensic Identification Section (IFIS). Through collaboration with Abbotsford Police and the Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit, evidence was gathered that implicated 32-year-old Michael Johal of Delta in the conspiracy to murder Sandhu.
On February 21, 2024, with assistance from Delta Police and the Lower Mainland Integrated Emergency Response Team, Johal was arrested without incident. Subsequently, a charge of conspiracy to commit murder was laid against Johal in connection with Sandhu’s death.
Sgt. Timothy Pierotti of IHIT emphasized the importance of intelligence sharing and strong partnerships in solving cases like this. He urged anyone with information related to the incident to come forward.
IHIT is seeking witnesses or anyone who was in the vicinity of the 3400-block of North Road or Greenwood Street and Bainbridge Avenue in Burnaby between 4 and 5:30 p.m. on September 16, 2023, to contact the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or via email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
