West Chester homicides trial: Forensics expert says bullet casings at scene match gun in pond
Oct. 13—HAMILTON — Forensic experts from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation testified Thursday in the Gurpreet Singh death penalty trial about the testing of evidence found at the West Chester Twp. apartment where four people were shot to death in April 2019.
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 the Wyndtree Drive residence.
Andrew McClelland, firearms specialist at BCI, tested the Ruger 9 millimeter handgun found in the pond behind the apartment building. After firing several rounds, McClelland compared impressions to the 16 bullets and casings found at the crime scene. McClelland said all rounds came from the Ruger.
Additionally, 14 bullets or fragments found in the victims during autopsy also matched the Ruger, McClelland said. All four victims were shot in the heard.
Prosecutors say 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.
Donna Schwesinger, forensic scientist at BCI, tested samples taken from Singh's hands for gunshot residue. She testified both the right and left hand samples tested positive.
There are three ways a person can test positive of gunshot residue — if they fired a gun, were in the vicinity of a person who fired a gun or touched something with gunshot residue on it, she said.
During cross examination, Schwesinger said the gunshot residue could be deposited on someone's hands if they touched the hair of face of a person shot at close range.
The defense says Singh went to his wife and held her body when he found her dead.
Hallie Dreyer, BCI forensic scientist, tested many items for DNA including the gun, clothing Singh was wearing night of the killings, shoes found at the scene near Shalinderjit, and shell casings.
Pannag's DNA found on the barrel end of the gun tested, Dreyer said. There was male DNA on the other areas of the gun, but it could not be matched to a profile.
The blood on Singh's clothing matched the DNA of Singh's wife, Shalinderjit, she said.
During cross examination, Dreyer said other minor DNA found on the evidence were not sufficient to be tested and there is no what to determine who it belonged to.
On Wednesday, the jury watched five audio and video tapes of the West Chester Police questioning of Singh two hours after the murders.
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 was 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.
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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.
