Court records detail fatal stabbing

SANDPOINT — Court records paint a disturbing picture of a deadly stabbing that claimed the life of cab driver in Bonner County.

Jacob Corban Coleman is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Gagandeep Singh, a 22-year-old from Spokane Valley, Wash.

Bonner County Sheriff’s Det. Phil Stella testified during a probable cause hearing that Coleman spoke with investigators at length after twice being advised of his Miranda rights.

Stella said Coleman reported flying from Seattle to Spokane with the intention of enrolling at Gonzaga University, but said his application for financial aid had been denied.

Coleman, 19, became upset by this development, Stella said during a probable cause hearing several hours after Coleman’s arrest.

“He, in his words, ‘spiraled down from there,’” Stella told Judge Lori Meulenberg during the hearing.

Coleman told investigators he took a bus back to the airport and unsuccessfully tried to hail a ride from Uber. Coleman ended up securing a ride from United Cab, which is owned by Singh’s family.

Coleman directed Singh to Hope, ostensibly to visit a friend. However, Coleman didn’t know anyone in Hope and selected the destination because of its sparse population, Stella told the court.

Coleman allegedly told investigators that he vacillated between being suicidal and homicidal and ultimately settled on the latter option.

“He developed an idea to kill Mr. Singh,” Stella testified.

While en route to Hope, Coleman had Singh stop at Walmart in Ponderay, where he purchased a knife. After passing through Hope and arriving in Clark Fork, Coleman said they doubled back toward Kootenai and stopped at the corner of Spokane Street and East Railroad Avenue.

Coleman told investigators that he told Singh he was suicidal, which prompted Singh to try and obtain a phone number for Coleman’s family so they could be alerted.

“Mister Coleman was adamant that Mr. Singh not contact his parents and that’s when the knife attack started,” Stella said during the hearing, which was used to obtain a criminal complaint against Coleman.

Coleman reported striking Singh in the right side of his ribcage because it was exposed and housed vital organs, Stella told the court. Coleman said the knife attack lasted for about 40 seconds and Singh attempted to fend off the blitz.

“Mister Singh was able to kick him in the face several times, was able to fight for a while. But, ultimately, he succumbed to his wounds,” Stella testified.

Coleman said he broke off the attack when Singh began talking to him. Coleman said the two spoke for “several hours” and Singh said he wanted his girlfriend to know he was sorry for some sort of disagreement or misunderstanding.

At no time, however, did Coleman call 911 or administer efforts to stop the blood from Singh’s multiple stab wounds.

“He just simply watched him bleed out,” Stella said.

Singh was reportedly in contact with family members prior to the attack. Family members alerted authorities when they lost contact with him.

Singh’s cab, a minivan, was found on the east side of Arnie’s Conoco. The van’s sliding door opened as a deputy approached the vehicle.

Coleman was inside and his T-shirt and blue jeans were drenched in blood, Stella said.

“He was located inside the car, holding the knife with the body of Mr. Singh at his feet on the floorboards of the vehicle,” Stella testified.

Meulenburg found there was sufficient cause to charge Coleman with murder. She noted that Coleman’s decision to obtain a knife demonstrated malice aforethought.

“That does rise to the level of premeditation in this matter,” said Meulenberg.

Coleman is being held without bail. Criminal proceedings against him are being suspended while Coleman undergoes a mental health evaluation.

Sheriff’s officials have ruled out the possibility that the slaying was racially motivated.

“It became very clear once he left Gonzaga, he had developed a plan in his mind that he wanted to kill somebody and Mr. Singh just became a target of opportunity,” Stella testified.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.