The Murder of Maple Batalia
For this case, I watched an episode of Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins. It’s season 2 episode 12, titled ‘Killer Obsession.’
A young actress is killed after leaving her school library.
Background
Maple Batalia was born in India on March 4, 1992, and moved with her family to Surrey, British Columbia, Canada when she was young. She grew up in a non-traditional Indian household and was extremely close with her parents and sister.
Maple’s father named her after the maple trees he had seen while visiting the U.S. From a young age, Maple knew that she wanted to be an actress, and model, and study to become a doctor. She was also described as beautiful and charismatic.
According to her IMDb page, which I have linked, she landed a role in the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and had a small role in a CW show called The Secret Circle.
Maple Batalia
A New Relationship
When Maple was 14, she met her future boyfriend, Gurjinder ‘Gary’ Dhaliwhal. Gary’s family was very well known in the area.
At first, it seemed like Maple and Gary’s relationship was going very well. They made time for each other and loved to hike and be outdoors. Maple’s family also really liked Gary.
Things seemed to change as soon as Maple started to focus on her acting and modeling career. Maple also started school at Simon Fraser University. Gary chose to work for his family’s trucking business.
Maple tried to work on their relationship, but many, including Maple’s close friends, noticed that Gary was jealous of her.
In August 2011, Maple broke up with Gary after she found emails between him and another female. Gary tried to apologize and tell her that it wouldn’t happen again, but it was too late.
The 911 Call
On September 27, 2011, Maple spent her last few hours alive in the school library with several friends.
Around 1 am, on September 28, several 911 calls came in about a shooting at Simon Fraser University.
Maple was found lying in a pool of blood near her car. She had been stabbed and shot but had a slight pulse. It was believed that she had been trying to communicate with the police but there was too much blood in her airway.
There were several .9 mm shell casings recovered at the scene. The gun was never located but a knife was located near Maple’s car. Her hair and blood were found embedded in the knife.
Maple passed away at the hospital.
The Jealous Ex
The police spoke to several witnesses at the scene. No one had seen the actual shooting but had seen a white Dodge Charger fleeing the scene at a high-rated speed.
The police learned that Maple had just broken up with Gary. In her bedroom, the police found several letters and cards that Maple and Gary had sent to each other. Maple spoke about how she wanted their relationship to work. Based on Gary’s writing, he always seemed to be apologizing and telling her that he would change.
One of Maple’s friends, Dhillon told the police that he and Maple had been at Tim Horton’s a few days after Maple’s breakup. Gary had shown up and punched him. Gary was also yelling at Maple and trying to get her to leave with him.
Dhillon was also with Maple on September 27 at the school library.
The police attempted to call Gary, but he dodged their calls and wasn’t at home when they went looking for him.
The Surveillance Footage
About 12 hours after Maple’s death, the police examined the surveillance footage from Simon Fraser University.
Around 10 pm, Maple and her friend, Karen took a break from studying and walked to a 24-hour coffee shop. A white Dodge Charger was seen entering the parking lot just seconds later and circling the parking lot almost like they were looking for someone.
Just a few minutes before she was shot, Maple was seen walking down from the 5th-floor library with her friends.
The camera from the parking lot moved from side to side. The camera panned away just as Maple arrived at her car.
Maple’s cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds. Maple was shot in the left tricep, just below her rib cage, and shoulder blade. Maple’s skull had multiple lacerations as she had been cut after she was shot.
After the shooting, the white Dodge Charger was seen speeding away from the college. It was determined to be a Dodge Charger because of its distinctive taillights. They requested the registered owners for any 2011 Dodge Chargers in the area.
The Prime Suspect
After Maple’s friend, Dhillon told them about the incident between them and Gary at Tim Horton’s, the police took another look at the school surveillance footage.
Around 10:30 pm, a shadowy figure could be seen following Dhillon around the school. Dhillon was unable to identify the person on the surveillance footage. It was later determined that the shadowy figure was Gary.
Maple had reported the Tim Horton’s incident to the police on September 25. Gary was arrested and eventually released. He was ordered to stay away from Maple.
The police learned through the car registrations that the Dodge Charger had been rented from Avis by one of Gary’s high school friends named Gurismar ‘Gary’ Bedi.
The police obtained the surveillance footage from Avis. Bedi and Gary were seen on surveillance footage renting the car.
The police also were just in time when they called Avis as it was just minutes away from being cleaned. Just below the driver’s side wiper blade, a bullet casing was recovered from the car. It was a match to the shell casings found at the scene. Tiny drops of blood were found on the visor and light switch in the car. The blood was a match to Maple. Gunshot residue was found on the steering wheel.
The Arrests
The police obtained search warrants for Gary and Bedi’s bank records.
On September 26, Gary used his credit card at the local mall. He purchased a knife, which was the same make and model as the knife found at the scene covered in Maple’s hair and blood.
A DNA swab was done on the knife handle, but no reliable DNA was found.
On April 5, the police obtained Gary and Bedi’s phone records.
On the night of Maple’s murder, the white Dodge Charger was seen at the college at 8:13 pm. Gary walked into the school and had been dropped off by Bedi.
Around 1 am, Gary’s phone placed him still at the school. Beti’s phone also tracked him in the same direction as where the Dodge Charger was driving.
In October 2012, the court agreed to arrest and charge Gary and Bedi in Maple’s case. The court hoped that one of them would confess.
The Convictions
At the police station, Gary refused to speak to the police. But he eventually spoke on the phone with Maple’s mother, Sarbjit.
Sarbjit told Gary that she forgave him and begged him to tell her the truth. Gary never confessed but did tell her that he was sorry.
On December 1, 2012, Gary was charged with first-degree murder. Bedi was charged with manslaughter and being an accessory after the fact.
On March 3, 2016, Gary pled guilty in exchange for life in prison with the possibility of parole after 21 years.
Bedi was sentenced to 18 months for being an accessory after the fact.
Maple’s family was devastated by Gary’s sentence. Maple’s sister, Roseleen said:
“I felt like a chance of parole after 21 years still gives Gary a good chance at life and the couple months, the measly couple months, that his friend got as the last potential person that could have stopped him, was a smack in the face.”
Gursimar ‘Gary’ Bedi, Maple, and Gurjinder ‘Gary’ Dhaliwahl
Other
In 2019, Gary was given temporary release from prison due to having a sick grandparent.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Maple’s life was taken too soon. She was just trying to move on from her tumultuous relationship but he was stalking her every move. My heart breaks for Maple’s family. The fact that Gary could be released from prison after brutally killing Maple is shocking. Bedi’s sentence is also bullshit. He could have stopped his friend from doing this but instead helped him stalk and kill Maple.
Sources
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4370931/
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/man-who-was-accessory-to-murder-of-maple-batalia-released-early-1.3788419
