VPD began investigating Sunday morning, after 78-year-old Usha Singh was found badly injured inside her home near Queen Elizabeth Park. Singh was taken to hospital with grave injuries, but died Tuesday. Pascal Bouthilette, 41, is now charged with second-degree murder in connection with the case. Sandy Parisian, 47, is charged with manslaughter.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

VANCOUVER – Vancouver Police have arrested two suspects in the violent west-side home invasion of an elderly Indo-Canadian woman last Sunday. The case is now a homicide investigation.

“This was a tragic and senseless crime that cost an innocent woman her life, and struck fear and anxiety in the community,” says Sergeant Steve Addison, VPD. “Vancouver is still a safe city, and thankfully incidents like this are rare. We hope these arrests begin to restore a sense of calm and safety.”

VPD began investigating Sunday morning, after 78-year-old Usha Singh was found badly injured inside her home near Queen Elizabeth Park. It’s believed she was attacked by two men who gained entry to her home by posing as police. Singh was taken to hospital with grave injuries, but died Tuesday.

The two suspects were arrested Tuesday in East Vancouver. Pascal Bouthilette, 41, is now charged with second-degree murder in connection with the case. Sandy Parisian, 47, is charged with manslaughter, Vancouver Police Department (VPD) said in a press release. Parisian was also wanted Canada-wide for unrelated offences. He was arrested near Strathcona Park with help from a VPD police dog. He suffered a serious, but non-life-threatening injury during the arrest and was treated in hospital before being taken to jail. The Independent Investigations Office has been notified of the injury.

The second suspect, a 41-year-old man, was arrested yesterday evening near Main Street and Terminal Avenue.

VPD investigators executed multiple search warrants last night, including in Strathcona Park, and continue to gather evidence.

The two men posed as police officers and attacked Singh in her west-side home Sunday morning.

“This was a horrific and deeply disturbing crime that has left a vulnerable senior clinging to life,” Addison said following the attack. “We don’t know yet who did this or why, and until we have more information everyone should be on guard.”

Sunday’s attack occurred just after 6 a.m., when two men posing as police knocked at the front door of Singh’s home who lives near Queen Elizabeth Park.

It’s believed the elderly victim, who lives alone, let the men inside and was then attacked. She likely lay injured inside the house for several hours, until police were called by the victim’s friend for a well-being check later that morning. Officers found the victim alive and she was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries. She subsequently died.