A Calgary judge has sentenced Hari Pal to life in prison with no chance of parole for 23 years in the deaths of his estranged wife and her friend at a home in the city’s southeast three years ago.
Emergency crews were called to home in the 6400 block of Penbrooke Drive S.E. at about 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, 2014 for reports of a stabbing.
A woman was found dead in the home and a second woman was rushed to hospital where she later died.
An autopsy determined that both Fahmida Velji-Visram, 29, and Sanjula Devi, 36, died from stab wounds.
A third woman, Shalni Gill, who lived upstairs, was also injured in the attack.
Pal fled the scene but was located by police and charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of aggravated assault.
During the trial, questions about Pal’s metal well-being were addressed and he was found fit to stand trial.
He was scheduled to testify but told the court that he was haunted by the sound of his dead wife’s voice and could not continue.
Pal was found guilty on all of the charges on Friday.
Victim impact statements were read at his sentencing hearing on Tuesday.
The daughter of Sanjula Devi said that her death has ‘left a wound inside me that I don’t think will ever heal.’
Velji-Visram’s mother read her statement to the accused and said ‘because of you my blood no longer runs, my heart no longer beats.’
Pal was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 23 years.
