Man sentenced to 7 years in jail for senior’s death at Strathcona tent city

A Vancouver man, Sandy Parisian, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the death of an elderly woman, Usha Singh. Parisian posed as a police officer along with another man and robbed Singh in her East Vancouver home. Singh was found badly beaten and later died in the hospital. Justice Kathleen Ker described the invasion of Singh’s home as planned and targeted, causing significant harm to her and increasing anxiety in the community. Parisian was motivated by greed and his criminal record of more than 160 offences was taken into consideration during sentencing.

Justice Ker emphasized the principles of deterrence, denunciation, and rehabilitation in sentencing Parisian. Despite his attempts to improve himself and reconnect with his Indigenous heritage while in custody, the sentence had to be heavy enough to deter others from engaging in similar conduct. A Gladue report was prepared for Parisian due to his Indigenous background, acknowledging the discrimination and hardship faced by Indigenous individuals. The Crown had suggested eight years in prison, while the defence was seeking five years. Parisian received a seven-year sentence, reduced by 1,000 days for time served in pretrial custody.

Parisian was arrested at a tent city in Strathcona the day after the crime. He had pleaded guilty to the charges, which was considered a mitigating factor during sentencing. The sentence aims to send a deterrent message to others and denounce the reprehensible conduct Parisian engaged in. The victim surcharge was waived for Parisian as paying it would be an undue hardship due to his unemployment, homelessness, and lack of assets. Another man charged with first-degree murder in the case is scheduled to stand trial in May.

The sentencing of Parisian serves to highlight the severity of his actions and send a message to the community that such calculated, targeted, and brutal conduct will not be tolerated. The crime engendered fear and harm to the community, leading to increased anxiety about personal safety. Parisian’s attempts to improve himself and connect with his Indigenous heritage while in custody were taken into consideration during sentencing, despite his extensive criminal record. The punishment aims to deter others from engaging in similar crimes and to denounce the harm caused to the victim and the community.