Trial back on - Jagvir Malhi was driving on Ross Road in Abbotsford and talking to a friend on the phone. He told his friend he had been rear-ended and was going to exchange info with the other driver. When he got out, he was shot to death. His insurance papers were beside body.
Crown says Nguyen made admissions to agent AB that he did the Malhi murder - blue Acura used in shooting was found on fire in Surrey. A neighbour quickly got the fire extinguisher and got the fire out. Spent bullets and other evidence found in car, Bellows said.
Agent AB will testify that Nguyen showed him an article from an Abbotsford newspaper about the Malhi murder and said they meant to kill Malhi's brother, Crown says. Another shooter name Joseph Whitlock was there, Bellows said - his DNA was found on a glove in the burned Acura.
The agent will say that Nguyen was paid $30,000 for the Malhi hit.
Whitlock was on the police warning poster issued in May 2021 after the murder of Brothers Keepers gangster Harb Dhaliwal in Coal Harbour area. vancouversun.com/news/staff-blo…
Crown now showing a video where Nguyen is allegedly writing details of murder on a white board while talking to undercover cop in Edmonton in Dec. 2019 (NOT AB - a separate UC operation.) He seems to be laughing. He was arrested in Edmonton on Dec. 20, 2019.
He also made hand gestures like pointing a gun.
Video from another angle - he is definitely laughing as he makes shooting hand gestures. Crown closing is done. The first witness will come up after a short break
First witness is Sherman Fung, former manager of Enterprise car rentals. (some of the vehicles linked ot victims/accused were rented.)
LUNCH BREAK - will tweet my story in about 30 mins
I'm at the opening of the murder trial of Tyrel Nguyen Quesnelle today - alleged to be a Brothers Keepers hitman charged with killing Randy Kang in Oct. 2017 and Jagvir Malhi in November 2018. Kang was gang-involved. Malhi was a university student killed by mistake.
Justice Miriam Gropper is starting by laying out the publication bans. We will have a witness known as AB who I can't ID in any way. Tyrel Nguyen Quesnelle is wearing a light grey suit, white shirt, no tie - just pled not guilty to the Malhi murder. Now a 2nd not guilty plea.
He has also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Gary Kang (shot the same day as his brother, survived only to be killed last year.)
Also, I had a great book interview today with someone I first met in June 2008 when he helped me after a sketchy encounter with Jamie Bacon's dad David in Abbotsford.
Bacon senior called me names, including maggot, then twisted my arm and tried to grab my (empty) steno pad from me. I wouldn't let that happen (because you know journalism/principle) so there was a tussle and I got my notebook back (in my mind I won, but he might have let go.)
But it got crazier. I jumped in my minivan and started racing away, wondering if David Bacon had tried to follow. I called the newsroom to say the Bacon dad had "grabbed" me. Mid-call, I lost the signal and just couldn't get it back. So the newsroom thought I had been kidnapped.
I am in courtroom 20 at the Vancouver Law Courts for the start of the #JamieBacon trial. Bacon is charged with one count of counselling someone to commit murder in connection with a 2008 shooting that targeted a former associate. The target survived the shooting.
Lots of bans in place at this JURY trial so please don't ask me questions related to things you think you know about Bacon or the associate as I won't be able to answer them. #jamiebacon trial
Jury still hasn't been brought in as Bacon's lawyer Kimberly Eldred and Crown Joe Bellows clear up some last-minute pre-trial issues.