A man accused of killing another man in Surrey in early 2013 and murdering two women in New Westminster later the same year has pleaded guilty.
Sarbjit Bains was facing trial for the death of 29-year-old Amritpal Saran, whose burned body was found beside Colebrook Road in south Newton on Feb. 24, 2013.
Bains was initially charged last year with second-degree murder in the Surrey case, but on Thursday in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Bains, 33, was also charged and facing trial in connection with the murders of Jill Lyons, who was found dead in an apartment in New Westminster on Aug. 12, 2013 and Karen Nabors, who was found dead in the same building 13 days later. Bains pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Lyons, 45, and Nabors, 48.
Bains’ former girlfriend, Evelina Urbaniak, 37, admitted in February to her role after Saran’s death, pleading guilty to interfering with a dead body. She received a two-year conditional sentence followed by three years probation.
During her sentencing, the court heard that Bains and Urbaniak had a troubled, abusive relationship and had been together for about two years. Their lives “revolved around drugs,” the judge heard.
According to a statement of facts agreed upon by Crown and defence lawyers, on the night of Saran’s death, he had been partying with Bains and Urbaniak. Urbaniak went to bed and later, when Bains found Saran in bed with her, he became enraged.
Lawyers said Urbaniak said she heard the two men fighting in another room, but didn’t know what happened until she saw Saran dead.
She and Bains went and bought plastic bins and gasoline and returned to the apartment. They put Saran in the bins and drove to a secluded portion of Colebrook Road, dumped Saran’s body, poured gasoline over it and lit it on fire.
Saran’s family submitted victim impact statements prior to Urbaniak’s sentencing.
“No parent should ever have to endure those circumstances,” wrote Saran’s mother.
Because Bains pleaded guilty prior to the case going to trial, details surrounding the murders of Lyons and Nabors have not been made public.
The women were reportedly both mothers and both worked as online escorts. They were each found in their own suites in the apartment building in the 200 block of 11th Street.
The evidence in Lyons’ death initially pointed to suicide, but after Nabors was found dead, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team was called and women “engaged in a high-risk lifestyle” were warned to take extra precautions.
Bains’ sentencing is scheduled for June 26. Second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for between 10 and 25 years. Sentences for manslaughter can vary from probation to life in prison.
