On April 28, 2019, 59-year-old Hakikat Panag was one of four people killed at the Lakefront at West Chester apartments in West Chester, Ohio. His wife Parmjit Kaur, daughter Shalinderjit Kaur, and sister-in-law Amarjit Kaur were also found dead; a family friend, Jasminder Singh, discovered the victims and placed the 911 call.

Investigators identified Gurpreet Singh, the husband of Shalinderjit Kaur and a former truck driver, as the prime suspect. Evidence recovered at the scene included blood, gunshot residue, and DNA tying him to the apartment; GPS data placed his vehicle in the complex parking lot shortly before the killings. Motive investigators cited included Singh’s financial problems and a romantic relationship with a woman out of state.

The case went to trial; a jury in October 2022 deadlocked, producing a mistrial, and a subsequent bench trial resulted in convictions on four counts of aggravated murder and a death sentence. The community held a service at the local Sikh gurdwara to grieve the loss.

If anyone knew the Panag family or has information about the incident, please come forward to share what you know.