A California man who blamed his wife’s disappearance on an alleged ICE detention is now accused of killing her after her burned remains were identified and detectives uncovered a bitter custody battle between the couple.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement had conducted no operation at the Sacramento home of Gurinder Singh Gill, 28, despite his account of federal agents taking his wife, Jasmine Gill, 30, away as she went to retrieve the mail.
That discrepancy emerged when the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office sought confirmation directly from the federal agency, which rejected the account of any enforcement action at the address.
By Wednesday, Gurinder was behind bars on a murder charge, with jail records indicating he was ineligible for bail.
The case has left Jasmine’s family mourning a young mother whose eight-month-old son is now at the center of concerns about his future care.
Jasmine worked as a registered nurse, choosing the same profession as her Indian mother, according to a GoFundMe organized by relative Daman Gill.
Her loved ones are also using the fundraiser to seek legal help over custody and arrangements for the baby’s care.
The last reported sighting of Jasmine placed her at her Sacramento home on September 30. When her cousin contacted police on October 4, a search notice circulated with identifying details intended to help locate her.
Jasmine had reportedly been walking in white pajamas with red polka dots near Headstock Street and Allegretto Way. The notice described her as approximately 137 pounds and 5-foot-3, while its wording suggested the family had reason to fear for her wellbeing.
“New information indicates her safety may be at risk,” the poster warned.
Human remains recovered in El Dorado County on October 1 had been badly burned. Subsequent identification linked them to Jasmine, changing the nature of the search.
Detectives also identified “several inconsistencies” in Gurinder’s account of her disappearance. Their investigation uncovered a divorce already underway between the couple, with disagreements over their child’s custody adding another dimension to the circumstances police were examining.
Gurinder was subsequently taken into custody Wednesday and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail to face a murder charge.
The information made public by investigators does not specify Jasmine’s cause of death or identify a motive for the alleged killing.
In Colorado, Patrick Barnett’s claim that his wife had died by suicide came under scrutiny after investigators encountered blood evidence inconsistent with his account.
Patrick called 911 from his Lakewood residence shortly after 6 a.m. on August 13, reporting that Lindsey Barnett, 37, had “cut herself and her throat.”
He connected the apparent suicide to his wife’s postpartum depression, but investigators encountered injuries and blood evidence that did not fit the circumstances he described.
Patrick maintained that he had discovered Lindsey bleeding in the shower, despite investigators finding far more blood on the couple’s bed than in the bathroom.
His account to police also involved sleeping in the basement after an argument the night before and returning upstairs the following morning to apologize.
He told investigators he moved Lindsey’s head before seeking emergency assistance, People reported.
Other details suggested activity between the bedroom and the shower. Dirt from an overturned plant near the bed had been carried toward the bathroom, and a small footprint marked in blood was visible along that route.
Investigators also documented bruising across Lindsey’s body, particularly on her limbs, with some injuries appearing consistent with an attempt to fight off an attacker.
Several hours after emergency crews discovered Lindsey, police heard from a woman who identified herself as Patrick’s girlfriend.
She requested a check on his wellbeing because their normally frequent text exchanges had abruptly stopped around 11 p.m. the previous evening.
According to NBC News, the woman also recounted Patrick’s claims about his marriage and Lindsey’s mental health while explaining their communications to investigators.
He had allegedly told her that divorce was approaching, that Lindsey had received psychiatric treatment and that she had attempted suicide the previous weekend.
The next day, prosecutors charged Patrick with first-degree murder.
In New Jersey, a nine-year-old girl’s death also resulted in murder charges after evidence contradicted an account initially given by two adults in her household.
Maya Thomas was taken to a hospital after an emergency call from the Paulsboro home of her mother, India Miller, 27, and stepfather, Sean Scott, 45.
Both adults attributed her injuries to a supposed vehicle collision, but security cameras around the property recorded no traffic during the period in which they claimed it occurred.
Their explanations differed in detail. Scott placed Maya outside with the family dog, while Miller claimed a screeching sound drew her attention before she located her daughter beside a shed.
Hospital staff determined that Maya’s injuries did not correspond with the type of trauma expected from a vehicle collision.
The child’s four-year-old sibling provided another disturbing detail, telling officers Scott had struck Maya in the face and around her eyes.
Maya died later that evening. The medical examiner attributed her death to multiple blunt-force injuries and determined that she had been killed.
The autopsy documented extensive trauma, including fractured ribs, a ruptured colon, injured eyes and damage involving her inner thigh and genital area.
Some injuries appeared to have occurred earlier than others, which prosecutors cited as evidence suggesting “prolonged abuse.”
Blood was present on bathroom tiles, and investigators recovered wet children’s clothing bearing blood from the bathtub. Cleaning products were also documented in the area, adding to the physical evidence examined inside the property.
Miller and Scott each faced fourth-degree charges of making a fictitious police report and hindering prosecution, along with two second-degree counts of endangering a child’s welfare.
The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office also charged both adults with first-degree murder and first-degree accomplice to murder. They were being held at Salem County Jail.
NJ.com reported that New Jersey’s Division of Child Protection and Permanency was also examining allegations of possible sexual abuse. The inquiry followed hospital personnel’s discovery of injuries around Maya’s genital area.
