HAMILTON, Ohio — A court-ordered break in the Gurpreet Singh quadruple murder trial was no breather for victims' loved ones. It has been a painful two weeks with more difficult days ahead.
"I continue to cry inside even though also sometimes tears also come," said Ajaib Singh, whose sisters Parmjit and Amarjit Kaur are among the victims killed three years ago. "It is very difficult. I miss them very much."
Ajaib Singh also lost his niece Shalinderjit Kaur and brother-in-law Hakiakat Singh Pannag.
"Even though almost three and a half years have (passed), we're still having difficulty getting over it," Ajaib Singh said.
Attorneys for Gurpreet Singh insist Butler County prosecutors and West Chester Township police pinned the crimes on the wrong person.
"Gurpreet would never kill his family, correct?" Charlies Rittgers, Gurpreet's attorney, asked prosecution witness Maninder Sekhon during testimony Monday morning.
"No sir," Sekhon responded.
Gurpreet Singh married Ajaib's niece and Jasdeep's cousin, Shalinderjit. The couple had three children.
In court, though, prosecutors introduced jurors to Navkiran Kaur, a woman who admitted to an extramarital affair with Gurpreet Singh. Witness testimony claimed Gurpreet spent thousands on a luxury SUV and home payments for Navkiran Kaur. It strained the defendant's finances, lead West Chester Township Police investigator Detective Jason Flick testified Monday.
Two of Gurpreet Singh's cousins told jurors he asked them to take his kids to dinner the night of the murders. Forensics experts' testimony revealed phone and car GPS records that put Singh at the crime scene minutes before someone killed four members of Gurpreet's family.
"That was really painful," Jasdeep Singh, whose mom Amarjit is among the victims, said. "Every day in court they're presenting every evidence of all these things. Even my mom's phone (shown in evidence). That was really painful because I gifted her (the phone) when she came (to the United States to visit family in 2019).
Gurpreet Singh's three children now live in California with their great-uncle who refused to let them go into foster care.
Family said they are getting plenty of support but the trial is key to moving forward for loved ones.
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