Saskatoon murder trial: Victim's cousin says unusual texts were first sign that something was wrong

The trial for a Warman man accused of killing his wife’s cousin is underway at Saskatoon’s Court of King’s Bench.

Ranbir Dhull is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 23-year-old Samandeep Jhinger.

Dhull, 44, and Amandeep Kaur, 28, got divorced in 2020.

“He beat me,” Kaur testified about her ex-husband, who sat a few feet from her behind glass with his ankles shackled.

Jhinger moved to Warman, from Toronto, to help Kaur with her two kids.

The cousins worked at 7-Eleven together. Kaur usually worked the day shift and Jhinger worked the night shift, Kaur testified, through a Punjabi translator.

Kaur said Dhull would sometimes visit their children at the house and he had a copy of her work schedule.

On July 1, 2020, Kaur said she took a night shift because Jhinger had a flight to Winnipeg early the next day.

While at work, Kaur testified she received text messages from Jhinger’s phone saying she had to leave earlier.

When Kaur came home from work, she said Jhinger was gone and the kids were left unattended, crying.

Kaur said Jhinger’s luggage was gone. She also noticed her jewelry, a blanket and a pillow cover were missing.

Kaur testified she called her brother in Winnipeg who said Jhinger never arrived.

Kaur told court she believed Jhinger was driving to Winnipeg with Dhull, and she was angry with her cousin for not informing her about the travel changes.

When Kaur contacted Dhull about being with her cousin, he denied it and showed up at her house 45 minutes later, court heard.

Dhull had a vertical scratch above his eyebrow, Kaur testified.

A message from Jhinger’s phone to Kaur said her phone wasn’t working.

When Kaur said she was going to contact police, a text from Jhinger's phone said, “Please don’t tell anybody.”

Kaur said none of her calls to Jhinger were answered. She testified they rarely texted and typically called one another.

Jhinger was reported missing on July 2, 2020.

The next day, RCMP found Jhinger’s body in the Warman home.