Gurasis Singh, a 22-year-old international student from Punjab, was stabbed to death allegedly by his roommate in Sarnia, Ontario.
According to Sarnia police, the stabbing took place in early morning hours on Sunday December 1. The accused and the victim were known to each other in that they shared space in the same rooming house.
“Two residents of a rooming house at 194 Queen Street in Sarnia were involved in a physical altercation while in the kitchen. During the altercation, one resident accessed a knife and stabbed the other multiple times, killing him,” police said.
Initially, the names and identity of the people involved was withheld. But later police said Crossley Hunter (36-years-old) of Sarnia was charged with second degree murder. Hunter appeared by video before a Justice of the Peace and was remanded into custody.
Once the post mortem examination was completed, the deceased was identified as 22-year-old Gurasis Singh, a citizen of India who was an International student. According to police, Singh was studying business at Lambton College in Sarnia.
“Despite an arrest having been made, this complex investigation is ongoing. The Sarnia Police Criminal Investigations Division continues to gather all available evidence to determine the circumstances surrounding this criminal act and what, if any, motive may have existed that led to the murder of this young man. At this time, we do not believe this crime to be racially motivated. The SPS, in partnership and coordination with Lambton College, will continue our efforts to support Gurasis’ family and friends as they seek to navigate these tragic circumstances,” said Chief Derek Davis.
According to a media report from India, Gurasis and his family are residents of Ludhiana. He is survived by parents and his younger brother Manraj Singh who studies in Ludhiana.
His father, Charanjeet Singh, told the Indian Express: “Hours before our son was brutally murdered, he had spoken to us and was very happy. He was hoping to call us also to Canada soon and said that we would live together again as a family. He used to prepare for college in the night itself and prepare his meals. He had a long conversation with his mother also hours before being killed in sleep.”
