West Chester homicide trial: Gurpreet Singh's police interview tapes played for jury

Oct. 13—HAMILTON — Prosecution testimony continued Wednesday in the Gurpreet Singh death penalty trial with the Butler County jury watching tapes of detectives question the defendant two hours after his family members were shot and killed.

Singh, 40, is charged with four counts of aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing his wife Shalinderjit Kaur, 39; his in-laws, Hakikat Singh Pannag, 59, and Parmjit Kaur, 62; and his aunt-in-law, Amarjit Kaur, 58, at their West Chester Twp. residence in April 2019.

Prosecutors says Singh murdered his family by shooting them all in the head after a longtime affair and a strained relationship with his in-laws over land money from land owned in India.

The defense says Singh is innocent and the killings were part of a professional hit due to Pannag's financial woes and a dubious land contract deal in India with the "land mafia." They say three masked men broke into the apartment with baseball bats and Singh ran for his life. When he returned, everyone was dead.

Singh was breathing hard and crying when West Chester Twp. detectives seated him in a "soft" interrogation room near the entrance of the police department about 11 p.m.

Dressed in a red shirt and long pants, Singh was barefoot telling the detectives his shoes "fell off" when he was checking on his slain family. His hands, pants and socks had visible blood on them — not his.

Singh asked for water and began talking to Detective Randy Farris.

He took the police through a timeline of April 28, 2019, saying he awoke at 9 a.m. and stayed home most of the day because he injured his back playing volleyball the day before. Some of the family went to church and then went shopping. His three children left with his sister to eat at an Indian restaurant.

Singh said that is when he went to work on his semi truck, parked on Muhlhauser Road. As dark set in, Singh said he drove home, stopping at a nearby UDF for gas.

"I come back, I see my mom, I see my wife ... I shake them," Singh said while crying. He said he tried to get them to talk and drink water, but got not response. Then he called 911.

"Every time I was calling 911, I was going to everybody seeing if they would talk," he said.

Singh told the detectives he had no problems between his wife or in-laws. When asked if he had been faithful to his wife, Singh answered, "always faithful, no problems."

Officers contacted Singh's sister and he as assured his children were safe. Singh continually asked to talk to his three children.

Farris asked if Singh had any idea who would harm his family.

"I know me and my family did nothing wrong to anyone," Singh answers. "If I knew, you would know by now."

Singh became emotional, saying he will help the police with anything they need.

"I have been a religious person all my life. Where's God? What did I do wrong?" Singh asked, choking up. He said he hasn't killed a "fly" in his whole life.

When Farris told Singh it appeared his family was shot, he began to get agitated.

"I want to go home right now ... why didn't anyone tell me they were shot?" Singh asked when Farris told him they were going to do a gunshot residue test on his hands.

That's when Farris read Singh his rights and told him they will get a search warrant to take the evidence from his person.

"I want to go to my kids," Singh said. "I want my lawyer."

The detective continued to tell Singh to have a seat — that he was being detained until a search warrant was obtained to get evidence from his hands.

While sitting in the interview room alone, Singh said, "So stupid."

After testing for DNA, gunshot residue, and clothing collection, Singh was permitted to leave the police station.

Prosecutors pointed out to the jury at no time did Singh mention intruders had broke into the apartment when he got home.

Ajaib Singh, brother of murder victims Parmjit Kaur and Amarjit Kaur, was the final prosecution witness Tuesday, telling the jury he talked by phone to Amarjit on April 28, 2019, the day of the killings, and she sounded afraid.

He said she wanted to leave Gurpreet Singh's Wyndtree Drive apartment where she had been visiting her sister. Hours later, both sisters were dead.

In cross examination by defense attorney Neal Schuett, questions were asked about Amarjit's tone of voice in the conversation. Schuett asked Ajaib if it was true she was depressed about being away from her son, who lives in Australia.

"No, she had fear," Ajaib Singh said.

Schuett also pointed to a statement Ajaib made to police in the months after the homicides in which he named others that they might want to investigate as suspects. But that list also included Gurpreet Singh.

During conversations three years ago with police, Schuett said Ajaib had referred to Gurpreet Singh as a "chicken," questioning if he could have committed the crimes.

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Courtroom coverage

Staff Writer Lauren Pack has been inside the courtroom reporting during testimony live. Read the latest from this case at journal-news.com.