Verdict in Dallin Singharath trial to be delivered in June

The family of a 27-year-old man gunned down in his backyard in July 2017, won’t find out the verdict in the accused killer’s case for another three months.

During closing arguments late Tuesday, Crown Prosecutor Cory Bliss told Justice Richard Elson that the injuries Tyler Applegate suffered were “devastating,” hitting the father of five’s left side and going through several organs, including his pancreas.

The bullet remained inside him until his autopsy weeks later.

Bliss also argued that when the accused arrived in a stolen black Nissan pickup truck with three others, he already had an illegal, sawed off shotgun that may have been already loaded, or was loaded just prior to the shooting. He also argued that after the bullet tore through Applegate in his backyard, he didn’t appear to say to anyone that the gun went off accidentally or that he shot Applegate by mistake.

Applegate died after he was shot once on July 22, 2017. Witnesses testified that he had been in a non-violent altercation with a man urinating on his fence. The man left, but came back a short time later with three people. It was when those people exited the stolen pickup truck moments later, that the shooting occurred.

Defense Lawyer Laura Mischuk told the court there was no evidence Dallin Singharath meant to shoot Applegate; according to some witness testimony he may not have even been able to see the backyard easily when the gun went off. She argued that just because her client didn’t say “whoops,” or that the shooting was an accident, it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t.

There was also some testimony that Singharath was using methamphetamine at the time, however, it was not clear how impaired he may or may not have been.

The Crown is hoping for a second-degree murder conviction, while the defense submitted that manslaughter was a more appropriate conclusion.

Justice Richard Elson will hand down his verdict June 18. Sentencing may take place June 19, although at this point there are about 20 victim impact statements that need to be considered.