Canadian hitman in Phuket killing moves closer to extradition

The Canadian hitman accused of killing a Vancouver gangster in Phuket is one step closer to extradition after a ruling from an Alberta judge.

Matthew Dupre was committed to extradition Friday, to be surrendered to Thailand to be tried for his involvement in the death of Jimi Singh Sandhu.

Dupre was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan before becoming a mercenary in Iraq. Sandhu, a member of Vancouver gang “the United Nations,” was allegedly killed in Phuket on February 4 in a drug-related hit by Dupre and another Canadian man.

Dupre’s lawyers argued against extradition on the grounds he could be sentenced to death if convicted, but judges in extradition hearings are not concerned with potential punishment.

“I note that if he is convicted, the only sentence is death by lethal injection,” Judge Kiss said. “This is simply not a factor I’m permitted to consider at this stage of the extradition proceedings.”

Sandhu was deported to India in 2016 and, according to Thai police, had amassed large sums of money at the Phuket villa where he was killed. He retained influence in Vancouver gang circles.

Dupre and another man, Gene Karl Lahrkamp, travelled to Thailand to kill Sandhu leaving a trail of evidence, including immigration records, testimony from the clerk of their hotel, car rental records, and CCTV footage around the time of the shooting.

Thai police have matched a distinctive tattoo on Dupre’s right arm to surveillance footage and witness testimony. Lahrkamp, who is also ex-military, died in a plane crash in Ontario earlier this year.

Dupre’s fate now lies with federal Justice Minister David Lametti, who makes the ultimate decision on whether to surrender Canadian citizens to other countries. Officials typically obtain assurances that convicts will not be executed if surrendered for extradition.