FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN/KMJ) — After nearly a decade, the murder of 68-year-old Gurcharn Singh Gill is one step closer to justice. Earlier this month, Modesto Police arrested Bailey Rosenberger as the suspect in Gill’s murder.
According to Fresno police, on New Year’s Day in 2016, Gill was working alone at the Shields Express Market on Shields and West Avenues in central Fresno when he was stabbed to death.
“He was working to pay for his daughter’s wedding, his son’s medical school,” Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto said about Gill. “He was well-known and liked by many people in the neighborhood.”
Police say it was late in the afternoon when the suspect lured Gill to the end of the counter before the attack.
“He tried to defend himself, but was overpowered, stabbed 11 times and he died on scene,” Chief Casto explained.
At the time, Fresno PD and the California Department of Justice (DOJ) collected evidence and investigated the case, but couldn’t identify a suspect, and the case went cold.
“Gurcharn’s family has long awaited the day that someone would be held accountable for his brutal murder,” Chief Casto said.
Last April, police identified Rosenberger as the suspect, who was 15 years old at the time of the murder.
“Thanks to our close collaboration with the DOJ, we recently received notification that there was a match on some of the fingerprint evidence left at the scene,” Chief Casto said.
By April of this year, Rosenberger was arrested in the Modesto area and moved to the Fresno County jail.
“This is a testament to the fact that we are persistent, relentless and resourceful,” Fresno Police Lt. Paul Cervantes said.
Rosenberger is facing charges for murder, robbery and use of a deadly weapon.
He appeared in juvenile court Tuesday for his detention hearing.
The district attorney’s office has requested a transfer hearing for Rosenberger to be tried as an adult in this case.
His next court date is May 27.
If he’s tried as an adult and convicted on all charges, he could face 26 years to life behind bars.
