A man has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Surrey, B.C., business owner Baljinder Singh Garcha earlier this year.
Garcha, 46, was found lying in the 3500-block of 176 Street, near the Morgan Creek Meadows outdoor wedding venue that he operated, on Jan. 13, according to police.
The father of three was pronounced dead at the scene, police say.
Garcha owned a number of businesses based in Surrey, including an indoor banquet venue, limo service and film company.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) says Brian Kiraly-Miller, 32, was arrested in Kamloops on May 28, and has been charged in Garcha’s death — which police have described as a “targeted shooting.”
“Mr. Kiraly-Miller doesn’t have obvious or apparent ties to organized crime,” Sgt. Freda Fong said at a news conference Tuesday.
“The victim also had no criminal history and no links to organized crime and no previous extortion attempts.”
Police are seen at the Morgan Creek Meadows wedding venue, near where Garcha’s body was found. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Friends and co-workers who spoke to CBC News at the time of Garcha’s killing said he was a good person who didn’t have enemies. None wanted to be identified.
Fong said Kiraly-Miller had a history of violence and weapons offences and was known to police, but said she would share few details of the motive and circumstances as the case was now before the courts.
Kiraly-Miller’s next court appearance in the case is on June 5, according to IHIT.