Batalia family relieved after life sentence handed to Gary Dhaliwal

Maple Batalia’s sister Rose told reporters Monday that the young woman can now rest in peace after her former boyfriend was sentenced to life in prison for gunning her down in 2011.

Rose Batalia choked back tears on the steps of the New Westminster Supreme Courthouse as she spoke.

A short time earlier, Gurjinder (Gary) Dhaliwal was told he must serve a minimum of 21 years before being eligible for parole.

Maple Batalia, 19, was shot to death on Sept. 28, 2011 in the parking lot of Simon Fraser’s Surrey campus. The Health Sciences student, actor and model, had been studying with friends and was headed home about 1 a.m. Maple was rushed to hospital where she later died.

Dhaliwal, now 24, and his friend Gursimar Bedi were arrested and charged a year later.

Dhaliwal pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last week. Bedi’s trial on charges of manslaughter and accessory after the fact is set to begin Tuesday.

Sgt. Stephanie Ashton, of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said Monday that “IHIT investigators, in conjunction with Crown Counsel, worked tirelessly to secure all of the evidence relevant to this tragic case.  A guilty plea, in any homicide investigation, speaks to the efforts and dedication by all agencies involved.

I was not covering this case today, but PostMedia reporter Jennifer Saltman was in court.

Here’s her story: