Tejwant Danjou was found in a dumpster by a police dog

Photo: Wayne Moore

Tejwant Danjou was found hiding in a nearby dumpster by police.

RCMP police service dog Dex played an integral role in finding the man who killed Rama Guaravarapu back in July 2018.

On the evening of July 22, 2018, police were called to the West Kelowna Best Western for a report of a possible domestic dispute in a second-floor room. Police arrived to find Guaravarapu seriously injured and unconscious on the floor of the room; a broken wine bottle lay beside her. She died not long after.

During the opening day of Tejwant Danjou's second-degree murder trial Friday, Crown prosecutor Simone McCallum said Danjou and Guaravarapu were in a spousal relationship, and had been living together since 2015. She said Danjou had been violent against Guaravarapu in the past and that for the two months leading up to the killing, Danjou had been jealous over her “perceived infidelity.”

RCMP dog handler Cpl. Frank Roberts testified at Tejwant Danjou's second-degree murder trial Friday. Cpl. Roberts and police service dog Dex were called to the scene to track the suspect in the killing.

Dex picked up a scent from the suspect, and followed a scent trail outside. The pair came upon a blood trail.

The trail led to a service alley southwest of the Best Western hotel, in between the nearby Home Depot and the Nature's Fare Market. As the pair walked north up the alley, Dex made a “head snap” towards a grouping of dumpsters near a Tim Hortons. Cpl. Roberts noted the dumpsters, but allowed Dex to follow the trail to Highway 97, where it came to a dead end.

The pair then returned to the dumpsters.

“(Dex) was very excited, jumping up, wanting to get into the bin,” Cpl. Roberts testified, adding that he could only see flattened cardboard in the bin, but Dex was showing signs that there was a very strong scent inside.

“I announced myself, saying 'police, come out ... I'm going to send in the dog.'”

When there was no response, Cpl. Roberts lifted Dex into the dumpster.

“At that point I could hear a yell and I advised that the person was under arrest and to show their hands,” Cpl. Roberts said. “He did not comply, so I engaged police service dog Dex. At that point, the accused stated to me, 'Get your dog off me.'”

The man in the dumpster turned out to be Danjou.

A struggle ensued between Danjou and Dex, as Danjou grabbed the dog by the scruff of the neck and tried to pull him away. Dex had bit Danjou in the upper stomach area.

Concerned Danjou may have a weapon on him, Cpl. Roberts stepped back and drew his handgun, pointing it at Danjou and telling him to release the dog and put his hands in the air. Danjou complied.

In cross examination, defence counsel Donna Turko asked Cpl. Roberts how Danjou acted when he was found in the dumpster. While Danjou has admitted to killing Guaravarapu, he's expected to rely on a defence based on his state of mind at the time of the killing, and whether he could have intended to kill her. Cpl. Roberts said Danjou had a “cold, thousand-mile stare” when he found him in the dumpster.

“There was no obvious panic, you didn't see panic in him?” Turko asked.

“I did not see panic ... he was staring beyond me,” Cpl. Roberts said. “It was an unusual thing to see.”

Danjou refused to leave the dumpster, but other officers arrived and dragged him out.

“He was covered in fair amount of blood on his clothing, it looked substantial,” Cpl. Roberts said.

The trial, scheduled for three weeks, will continue Monday.