The man accused of killing a Langford mother in a case of mistaken identity has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 14 years.
Last month, 38-year-old Anthony Singh Dheensaw pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Angela Dalman and to the attempted murder of her friend Derrick Oke outside Oke’s Arncote Avenue home in Langford on March 6, 2020.
During the two-day sentencing hearing, court heard that Dheensaw, who was high on cocaine, shot the 40-year-old single mother because he thought she was Oke’s girlfriend.
The court listened to 12 victim impact statements from Dalman’s family and friends, many of whom fought tears as they described the devastation caused by her death.
“Without any doubt, Miss Dalman was an individual whose character earned her the love, respect and admiration which shone through the victim impact statements,” B.C. Supreme Court Justice Catherine Wedge said Tuesday.
Dalman’s son Austin, now 18, struggled immensely after the loss of his mother, the judge noted. And family and friends continue to be overwhelmed by grief.
Wedge accepted a joint submission from Crown and defence, imposing a nine-year prison sentence on Dheensaw for the attempted-murder conviction.
Court documents revealed that on March 4, 2020, Dheensaw arrived unannounced at Oke’s residence, saying he was in trouble and needed a place to stay. Oke, who didn’t know Dheensaw very well, allowed him to sleep on a mattress in the living room.
On the morning of March 6, Oke asked Dheensaw to leave because Oke and his girlfriend, Kelly Groves were moving. The couple left to rent a U-Haul. When Groves returned in mid-afternoon, Dheensaw was still there with a large amount of cocaine on the coffee table. Groves told him to leave, but he didn’t. Dheensaw appeared to be high on cocaine.
Oke enlisted a group of friends to help him get Dheensaw out of the home. Dheensaw was assaulted by an unnamed man. His drugs and prescription medications were stolen and he was kicked out of the house.
Dheensaw ended up at a trailer on Florence Lake Road. There was a rifle in the trailer. Later that night, Dheensaw drove to Oke’s house with the firearm.
In the meantime, shortly before 9 p.m., Dalman had arrived at Oke’s house to say goodbye and have a drink with the couple.
Dheensaw arrived at Oke’s home around 9:45 p.m., and Dheensaw got out of his car holding the gun.
Dalman, who looked like Groves and had hair of similar length and colour, was outside, beside her vehicle. Dheensaw shot at her twice. The first time, the gun misfired. The second time, it struck Dalman and she fell to the ground. The bullet entered her right shoulder and exited her left.
Dheensaw then found Oke and pointed the gun at him. The gun misfired again. Oke heard Dheensaw cocking the gun and turned and fled, running down the side of the house. Dheensaw shot again, narrowing missing Oke, who heard and felt the bullet flying by his head.
Dheensaw was arrested the next day.
The judge found the most important mitigating fact to be Dheensaw’s guilty plea.
“True remorse and acceptance of responsibility are demonstrated not by words, which come easily, but by a plea which removes any hope of acquittal and accepts a very significant punishment which will take away Mr. Dheensaw’s prime years of his life,” she said.
The judge noted that Dheensaw’s downward spiral began in 2015, after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He was also the victim of an unprovoked stabbing that left him seriously injured. After the stabbing, his dependence on cocaine turned into a pronounced addiction.
By November 2019, at the age of 35, despite working hard as a sprinkler fitter and returning several times to school, he faced the reality he might never be able to maintain a career. He had no job, no career prospects and his health relapsed. Despite seeking treatment for his addiction, by late February 2020, he was using cocaine and alcohol regularly.
“The tragic events of March 6 followed,” said the judge.
Outside court, defence lawyer Garen Arnet-Zargarian said Dheensaw is sincerely remorseful for his actions.
“His guilty plea and this judgment indicate that acceptance of responsibility and his sincere desire for the community to heal.”
