Victim known to police

July 3, 2009

Rafe Arnott

file from Vancouver Sun

A tight cluster of four bullet holes amid a large bloodstain on the pockmarked surface of Spallin Avenue is all that’s left to mark the location of Abbotsford’s 5th murder victim this year.

Police have identified 36-year-old Jaswant (Billy) Rai – brother of former provincial NDP candidate Bonnie Rai – as the man who was shot to death in what authorities are describing as a ‘targeted hit’ around midnight on Tuesday.

Rai’s body was discovered next to a late model, teal-coloured car just metres off Mt. Lehman Road after the APD received several 9-1-1 calls regarding gunshots.

Police blocked traffic along Mt. Lehman Road between Downes and Townshipline roads for several hours Tuesday as the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team combed over the crime scene and talked to area residents.

According to Const. Ian MacDonald, Rai was well known to Abbotsford police, who had several run-ins with him in 2008. “Our members were able to identify [his body] immediately because they were familiar with him.”

MacDonald said Rai’s name had come up a number of times during criminal investigations and through Rai’s own actions. “Either [police] were brought to him through some sort of investigation or he brought attention to himself through his behaviour or through a traffic stop or a situation where police would check him.”

Rai’s sister Bonnie said the family was in shock and is devastated at Rai’s violent death, and added that she only had good memories of him.
“I do love him very much. The family loves him. His friends love him. Everybody loves him. He was a good man.”
“He is very well loved and he will be very sadly missed. This is terrible. He was just an awesome guy. He was just awesome and this is just a tragedy. We are shocked.”

Rai wouldn’t comment about what might have transpired, citing the police investigation.
“I am just really grieving with the family right now,” she said. “It is very difficult.”

Asked about the police claim that her brother was “well known” to them, Rai said: “I am, too. Everybody is.”
But she admitted her brother, who ran an Abbotsford gym, did have a criminal record.

Rai was charged in February 1996, along with future Bacon brothers associates Rabinder Ahuja and Godwin Cheng, with assault causing bodily harm and uttering death threats. Rai and Cheng were convicted of uttering threats, while Duhre and Ahuja were convicted of assault causing bodily harm.

Ahuja is a relative of Bacon associate Sunny Ahuja, whose Abbotsford home was targeted in a drive-by shooting in March. Cheng was acquitted along with Jonathan Bacon a year ago on several gun and drug-trafficking charges. The Crown is appealing the acquittal.

Sculptor Norm Williams called 9-1-1 when the shots rang out.
“I was trying to figure out the cadence. I heard bang, bang, then bang, bang, bang, bang — I think six shots,” Williams said.

While Rai had not been on police radar this year according to MacDonald, the Constable said leaving gang ties behind is unusual. “I’m not familiar with people having the ability to associate with people in their community in a criminal way and then just all of a sudden go ‘OK, well now I’m just going to be an average citizen.’”