Victim in Warman homicide was fatally strangled, trial hears
The chief forensic pathologist for the Saskatchewan coroners service took to the stand in Saskatoon on Wednesday for the trial of Ranbir Dhull.
Dhull is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 23-year-old Samandeep Jhinger — Dhull’s ex-wife’s cousin.
Dr. Shaun Ladham was accepted as an expert in forensic pathology and revealed Jhinger’s cause of death to be ligature strangulation.
A pair of pants and scarf were wrapped around her neck when police found her body in the basement of a Warman home in July 2020.
On Tuesday an RCMP national forensic expert said Dhull’s DNA was detected on the scarf and the accused’s blood was found on the pants.
Photos shown in court pictured Jhinger’s body was discovered under a shelving unit, covered by a rolled-up carpet, dark plastic and pails, with twine binding her wrists and legs, and tape over her nose.
Dr. Ladham said the photos shown by the Crown, which revealed several bruises, blisters and abrasions on Jhinger’s body, as well as what he described as possible teeth marks on her back.
He said marks on the front-right side of Jhinger’s neck suggest someone pulled back from the left to strangle her.
During cross-examination, the defence questioned Dr. Ladham about whether the autopsy was able to tell if Jhinger had been bound before or after she was killed, but he said that couldn’t be determined.
The defence elected to call evidence on Nov. 7 and 8, when the trial will continue at Court of King’s Bench.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BREAKING Las Vegas sheriff says no further threat in shooting on university campus, victims taken to hospital
The Las Vegas sheriff says there is no further threat in the shooting on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, and that multiple victims have been taken to a hospital. It wasn't immediate clear how many people were shot or their conditions.
'I'm so broken': Grieving family speaks out after B.C. cancer patient awaiting treatment chooses MAID
A devastated family says long waits for cancer treatment led a beloved father and grandfather to choose medically assisted death 13 days ago.
No first-ballot winner as Assembly of First Nations seeks its next national chief
The Assembly of First Nations is headed into a second round of voting to choose a new national chief, after the first ballot did not put any of the six candidates over the 60 per cent threshold to win.
PM pans Poilievre for 'pulling stunts' by threatening to delay MPs' holidays with House tactics
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is threatening to delay MPs' holidays by throwing up thousands of procedural motions seeking to block Liberal legislation until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau backs off his carbon tax. It's a move Government House Leader Karina Gould was quick to condemn, warning the Official Opposition leader's 'temper tantrum' tactics will impact Canadians.
Lawsuit accuses Sean Combs, 2 others of raping 17-year-old girl in 2003; Combs denies allegations
A woman sued the hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs on Wednesday, claiming he and two other men raped her 20 years ago in a New York City recording studio when she was 17.
Director behind bold and controversial TV comedies has died
Norman Lear, the writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with 'All in the Family' and 'Maude,' propelling political and social turmoil into the once-insulated world of sitcoms, has died. He was 101.
Accused of improper partisan conduct, MPs expected to vote for probe into Speaker Fergus
Members of Parliament appear poised to pass a Conservative motion calling for an expedited probe into House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus' conduct after days of acrimony in Ottawa over what he says was unintentional participation in a partisan event.
opinion Don Martin: Greg Fergus risks becoming the shortest serving Speaker in our history
House Speaker Greg Fergus could face a parliamentary committee inquisition where his fate might hang on a few supportive NDP votes. But political columnist Don Martin says this NDP support might be shaky, given how one possible replacement is herself a New Democrat.
Facebook parent sued by New Mexico alleging it has failed to shield children from predators
Facebook and Instagram fail to protect underage users from exposure to child sexual abuse material and let adults solicit pornographic imagery from them, New Mexico's attorney general alleges in a lawsuit that follows an undercover online investigation.