Life sentence for hitman involved in Lower Mainland gang murders

A hitman convicted of multiple B.C.-gang-conflict-related murders received a life sentence on Thursday.

Tyrel Nguyen was initially arrested in 2019, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said Friday, after a two-year-long investigation into two separate killings in the Lower Mainland.

Nguyen was taken into custody for the 2017 murder of Randeep Kang in Surrey and the 2018 murder of Jagvir Malhi in Abbotsford.

Police previously described 19-year-old Malhi, a high-school basketball star, as not being the intended target.

On Nov. 23, Nguyen was found guilty of the two first-degree murders, along with two counts of attempted murder.

“What began as two separate investigations became a coordinated effort, made possible due to IHIT’s integration and strong partnerships with Abbotsford Police Department and the Surrey RCMP,” said Sgt. Timothy Pierotti of IHIT. “This was a complex investigation. I’m incredibly proud of all those that worked on this investigation and persevered over the past seven years.”

Nguyen will not be eligible for parole for 25 years.

‘There’s no loyalty in gangs’

Pierotti explained how having Nguyen off the street will help with gang violence noting he was a “danger to the public.”

On Friday, IHIT released the details of its seven-year investigation, “E-Prosperity,” linking together multiple homicies related to the ongoing gang conflict in B.C.

“On Oct. 27, 2017, Surrey RCMP responded to report of gunfire members attended and located Randeep Kang deceased, and also targeted in the shooting were survivors Gary Kang and Camilo Alonso,” he said.

“At the time of the homicides, Nguyen and the Kang brothers were affiliated with the Brothers Keepers Group. Tyrel Nguyen was a self-described hitman for the Brothers Keepers and was hired by members of the Brothers Keepers group to kill the Kang brothers.”

Pierotti says it’s important for the public to understand the complexity of investigating gang-related homicides and why it took seven years to wrap up this investigation.

“And the length of time it can take to investigate, arrest, disclose, and prosecute a homicide all before a judge or jury can render a decision,” he said.

He says he would like people to think twice before considering joining a gang like the Brothers Keepers.

“There’s no loyalty in gangs,” he says. “These people are killing each other and then continuing to do that. There are younger people that step into these roles. We are going to work … to send the message our that we need to end gang life.”