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.
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