Tanner Fox, a 24-year-old hitman, admitted to the second-degree murder of Sikh businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik and was given a life sentence without the chance of release for 20 years. A justice of the British Columbia Supreme Court rendered the decision on Tuesday. Both Fox and Jose Lopez, his co-defendant, acknowledged their involvement in Malik’s July 2022 death.
On the morning of July 14, 2022, the murder occurred outside of Malik’s family company in Surrey, British Columbia. Malik was in his car when the two men shot him several times. Tanner Fox and Lopez were eventually connected to the crime scene by police when they found a burned-out car nearby. In a tearful courtroom, Malik’s family pleaded with Fox to reveal the names of the people who had hired him to do the murder.
What Did Malik's Family Plead for During the Court Proceedings?
Sundeep Kaur Dhaliwal, Malik’s daughter-in-law, spoke to Tanner Fox directly throughout the tearful proceedings, pleading with him to identify the murderers. “We plead with you to reveal the names of the people who hired you,” Dhaliwal stated. The family’s constant worry for their safety clearly indicated their desperate search for solutions.
Shortly before their first-degree murder trial, the two men had first pleaded guilty. The murder of Ripudaman Singh Malik was a “deliberate killing,” according to prosecutor Matthew Stacey, and Tanner Fox and Lopez had received monetary compensation for their involvement in the crime.
How Does Malik's Acquittal in the 1985 Air India Bombing Case Relate to the Murder?
Malik was tragically murdered more than ten years after he was found not guilty of the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182. Three hundred twenty-nine people were killed in the blast, which is still Canada’s greatest terrorist act. The majority of those killed were Canadian nationals on their way to India. Two luggage handlers were killed in Japan when a second bomb detonated simultaneously.
Malik was charged with the incident, which was generally seen as a retaliatory action by Sikhs in Canada against the Indian government’s military campaign to take control of the Golden Temple, the most sacred site in Sikhism, in 1984. But in 2005, following a protracted two-year trial, Malik and his co-accused, Ajaib Singh Bagri, were both found not guilty of mass murder and conspiracy. They were acquitted after the judge deemed the evidence against them untrustworthy.
Who Was Behind the Contract to Kill Malik?
Although the evidence did not name the employer, court documents show that Tanner Fox and Lopez were hired to kill Malik. The identities of those who ordered the assassination are still unknown, but Malik’s family has persisted in demanding the truth. They have called on Fox and Lopez to assist law enforcement and offer vital information that can result in the arrest of the offenders.
“This fear and anxiety come from not knowing who hired you,” Malik’s daughter-in-law stated in her testimony. “Are we next?” Her remarks highlighted the family’s ongoing feelings of vulnerability and unpredictability following Malik’s passing.
What Did Tanner Fox Say in Court Regarding His Actions?
Born in Thailand and adopted by Abbotsford, British Columbia, parents when he was three, Tanner Fox seemed to feel regret in court. It was impossible to determine the precise period in Fox’s upbringing when he made the decisions that resulted in his committing such a horrible crime, according to his defense lawyer, Richard Fowler. Fox apologized for his behavior in court, even as his attorney tried to set the scene for his tumultuous history.
“I’m sorry for all the pain and hurt that I’ve caused,” Fox stated. The harm done to Malik’s family, who are still dealing with the death of their loved one and the mystery surrounding the murder’s purpose, could not be undone by his hasty apologies.
What Does Malik's Family Hope for Moving Forward?
The family of Ripudaman Singh Malik is left in the dark as the judicial proceedings advance, and Lopez’s sentencing is set for Friday. For those impacted by the bombing, the tragedy of Malik’s murder—which occurred more than ten years after he was found not guilty in the 1985 bombing case—has brought back painful memories, and the uncertainty surrounding the reasons behind his murder adds even more distress to an already turbulent period in Canadian history. Malik’s family members are still demanding complete transparency and the identification of the criminals behind the atrocity.
