A 21-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of 19-year-old Bhavkiran (Kiran) Dhesi. (File photo)

A 21-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of 19-year-old Bhavkiran (Kiran) Dhesi. (File photo)

Mother of accused charged in connection to Surrey teen’s murder

Manjit Kaur Deo charged with 'accessory after the fact' in 2017 death of Bhavkiran Dhesi

A second person has been charged in connection with the death of Bhavkiran Dhesi.

Last week, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team held a press conference and announced that Harjot Singh Deo, 21, has been charged with second-degree murder in 19-year-old Dhesi’s death.

Manjit Kaur Deo, 53, has now been charged with “accessory after the fact to murder” in relation to the same case.

Manjit Deo is the mother of Harjot Deo, Cpl. Frank Jang of Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirmed during a press conference held Tuesday morning.

She was arrested May 17 in the Lower Mainland, Jang said.

“We’re not finished yet,” Supt. Donna Richardson said at last week’s press conference. “We believe that we still have individuals in the community that have very intimate knowledge of what happened in this instance, of what happened to Bhavkiran. We’re looking for other individuals to come forward if they have that knowledge.”

Tuesday, Jang issued another appeal for information from anyone with intimate knowledge of the case.

“We know that there are people with information and for whatever reason are withholding that information… We’re appealing to their conscience, really. A 19-year-old young woman lost her life, her life was taken,” Jang said.

Dhesi was last seen leaving the family home, with the family car, at 9 p.m. on Aug. 1, 2017. Her body was found in a torched SUV at 12:20 a.m. Aug. 2, in the 18700-block of 24 Avenue in South Surrey.

“I understand she was going to meet friends,” Cpl. Meghan Foster said last week, noting she could not reveal if the Surrey teenager actually kept the appointment with her friends.

Foster said investigators do not believe the 18700-block of 24 Avenue area is where the murder was committed.

“I can’t speak to where we believe the initial crime scene was.”

Police have spoken with a number of persons of interest, Foster said, though she could not speak to the nature of the relationship the accused had with the victim.

“The number of suspect, or suspects, all I can say is we are speaking with persons of interest.”

READ MORE: Torched-SUV victim ‘had the purest heart,’ says sister

Peace Arch News