VANCOUVER — Two men have been charged following the death of a 78-year-old woman who was fatally injured in a violent home invasion in Vancouver.
Police say 41-year-old Pascal Bouthilette has been charged with second-degree murder and 47-year-old Sandy Parisian is accused of manslaughter.
Investigators believe Usha Singh was attacked early Sunday by two men who entered her home posing as police officers.
She died in hospital on Tuesday, the same day police announced the arrests of the two men, saying Parisian was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for unrelated offences when he was picked up in Vancouver.
Police say he suffered a serious bite wound from a police service dog during the arrest and was treated and released from hospital.
The Independent Investigations Office, which examines police-involved injuries, was notified.
Bouthilette was taken into custody a few hours later near the city's Downtown Eastside.
Police said they continue to gather evidence and have served numerous search warrants, including at least one in Strathcona Park, where a large tent encampment is located.
Sgt. Steve Addison says the home invasion that led to Singh's death "struck fear and anxiety in the community."
"We hope these arrests begin to restore a sense of calm and safety,” Addison says in a statement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2021.
The Canadian Press
