Just before 10:00 am on Saturday 14 July 2019, 41-year-old Gurinderjit Rai was found dead by passing horse riders in the driving seat of a car parked in a roughly hewn lay-by almost directly opposite the entrance to Corhampton Golf Club in Hampshire. A post-mortem confirmed his fatal wounds were inflicted by a shotgun charge. Gurinderjit Rai was a drug dealer originally from Eastleigh but at the time of his murder he was living in Chester.
The location was in Shepherds Farm Lane which runs alongside the golf course. Despite being an isolated and quiet rural area, the lane is a well used minor road. The nearest village is Corhampton to the east. Eastleigh via Bishops Waltham is on the B3035 and just 13 miles to the west.
News reports claimed the police considered it was a, ‘targeted killing’. On the 16 July 2019 Hampshire Police made four arrests, three men in their 20’s from Winchester and one in his 30’s from Eastleigh. Other arrests followed. Locals interviewed on regional radio expressed surprise that such a violent shooting murder could take place in their peaceful countryside surroundings.
On the 07July 2020 Hampshire Police revealed that 7 people previously arrested had been brought back into custody. The concluding 2021 trial in Winchester Crown Court revealed that Gurinderjit Rai or “G” as he was known, was owed over one hundred thousand pounds for drugs transactions. Prosecutor, Andrew Langdon QC said that text messages between dealers had reached a crescendo in the weeks prior to the murder. The four men eventually accused procured a Mercedes Benz saloon car which was later dumped and set alight. The murder weapon was a sawn-off shotgun later recovered from a wood near the village of Whitchurch, north of Winchester.
On the 22 April 2021 Aston Hannis and Charlie Statham both from the Eastleigh and Winchester area received life sentences for the murder of Gurinderjit Rai. Two other accomplices received sentences for manslaughter.
The question was, why was Gurinderjit Rai lured there, did he know the area? Was the golf club significant? What connection or relevance did the location have to the perpetrators? Criminal Psychologists and Profilers attach significance to the location of where murders are committed. It transpired in the police investigation that the group had indeed planned the murder and the chosen location was significant because the four of them were going to base themselves in a nearby property on the pretext that they were there for a lads weekend, watching sport on TV.
On the night of the murder they had left their phones in the property to protect themselves from the investigation that would follow and the possibility that their movement history could be tracked. However they overlooked the investigators tenacity. Police detectives discovered the group had been carrying out some pre-planning reconnaissance in their cars in the weeks preceding. To confirm this they approached a landowner who had a property entrance on Corhampton Lane, a short distance from Corhampton Golf Club and the murder site. This owner was able to provide CCTV footage of the perpetrators passing his property in their cars. The eventual trial was able to secure convictions based on many factors but CCTV footage and phone tracking data in the planning phase of this murder was considerable and something the perpetrators had overlooked.
What prompted my immediate interest in this shooting murder was what I refer to as the Morstead shoot route, a road I have studied for 6 years. This minor road extends for 9 miles running SE from Winchester as the Morstead Road and concluding opposite the golf course as Corhampton Lane at the B3035. A staggered junction opposite is the northern end of Shepherds Farm Lane. At the Morstead Road junction in 2017 the Highways Authority replaced a large direction sign that had been damaged by penetration gunfire signatures and shotgun pattern blast on at least three separate occasions.
When I asked the authority at the time why they had changed the sign, (top image 2019), they advised me it was a road safety initiative and the previous structure had been ‘vandalised’, as you can see in the lower image taken in 2015. The engineer I communicated with said he was unaware of any gunfire damage. This structure is 100 metres from the Corhampton Golf Club boundary.
I had found two other locations on the Morstead route, two and four miles south of this junction. Both had been penetrated by single .45 bullet. This calibre of ammunition is globally commonplace and is a popular handgun round. One structure was replaced in 2017, one remains. Hampshire Police have been made aware of these firearm incidents in the past. Other examples of .45 single shot signatures can still be found having penetrated structures in nearby Anmore and Denmead.
None of my studies in this vicinity implies any direct connection to the murder of Gurinderjit Rai but it is trait that I have seen before close to other rural shooting murder sites in the UK and France.
In March 2019, Daniel Forestier was shot to death in almost identical circumstances in a pull in area alongside a rural road in SE France. His death remains a mystery. There is absolutely no connection between the shootings but the methodology and location choice was the same.
To the east of his murder site is a forest, criss-crossed by a road network. Just 2.0 km from the site there is a route exiting a wooded area called the Route de Planbois. A steel/alloy road-sign has been freshly penetrated by 2 x 9mm bullets. It was easy to ascertain where the perpetrator had discharged a weapon from. There is no evidence of lichen, (green staining), or water ingress which is the standard process when a structure is penetrated by bullets and the facing membrane is punctured and exposed. Daniel Forestier had been shot with a handgun.
Rural gunfire damage is commonplace in France and it follows the same pattern as the UK. The same question however – Who and why? Why are so many rural shooting murder sites close to where people have illegally discharged firearms; is it a coincidence or a consequence.
I think this goes back to samsons gym, and the owner. I think gurinder was double crossed by a Winchester guy, lead to a location where he thought a deal was taking place and was taken out. What else can the motive be? Maybe territorial is another motive. All I know is this was an utterly cowardly act, disgusting. A family without a son, husband father.
In this day and age I know that through mobile mast triangulation mobile companies can accurately pinpoint any device that passes in any given masts range.
I really feel that that more can be done to track down movements of any device, direction and speed!!
I believe that if this had been the murder of…. say a policeman or other “respectable” “standup” person then authorities would have made a conviction by now.
Obviously police may well be still looking at this type of data and the net may well be closing in on whoever did this.
I know for a fact that the technology to track mobiles accurately was available and utilised back in 2000.
The girl that was murderd down allington lane fair oak/ west end around 2000…. that perpetrator was identified by his phone signal which was detected by masts in the area.
What do you think about this?
“You don’t go swimming if you don’t want to get your hair wet”
He regularly extorted women for sexual favours in return for drugs ( so much for a family man)
He had a reputation in the area for bullying vulnerable people into working for him (selling drugs)
He also was a notorious thief ranging from petty theft to organised house burglary’s.
Needless to say he tried to fuck over the wrong characters and paid the price in lead quite literally.
Good riddance one less scumbag roaming the streets.
Whoever did it, did the police a favour and the local community.
David Williams, big man talking about a guy who is no more aren’t you. One thing Gurinder wasn’t was a bully! A hell of a lot of people had love for him and if you were his friend or in need then he would go the extra mile. Like Sarah said you seem to know a lot about his so called “dodgy dealings”. It’s all well and good you talking bs about a guy who can’t stand up for himself. Maybe you were involved in some way shape or form considering you seem to have written a lot of hate about him, big man?!!!!Gurinder would never have done this even to his worst enemy. He would have thought that’s someone dad, someone’s son, someone’s brother! Gurinder was a well built guy and could handle himself well, the cowards could only use a weapon!!
You sick filth talking ill of the dead, remember the mother whose son was taken from her in such a cowardly cries for him day and night looking through his photos everyday, let’s hope that you’re mother never has to endure the same pain!!
David williams or whatever your real name is. You are some muppet.
You seem to know a lot of nonsense. Wind your neck in sunshine. That is someone’s son, brother, father, uncle and a friend to many.
I hoe his family find he peace and that justice is done.
first of reading this as one of his children are fucking sickening. do you know how it feels to loose a parent by murder then get told he was the bad person? your actually sick in the head.
David Williams, wow you really want to take a close look at yourself. You maybe the one committing all those crimes as seem to know a lot of details about this man and how he deserved this. I wonder if you were involved with the murder and also the burglaries he was apparently involved in. I read about your mum on the street Corners and giving you sexual favours so that must be true!
I owed g money and fucked up my life went down the wrong path with drugs etc. I swerved him for ages which would of probably pissed him off badly. He eventually got hold of me by telephoned and this is what he said….. ” dont worry about what you owe me mate I just want you to sort your life out and get back on the straight and narrow. Please sort it out and get better anything or help you need I’m here if I can help you I will. We will worry about the money after” take care”
He was a top bloke I really respected him after that. Rest in paradise my friend
To the low life dirty filthy scums that killed gurinder. You took his life without any thought for his family or kids. Left 2 children without a father. A daughter who will never have her father walk her down the aisle. I hope the guilt of what you did haunts you for the rest of you’re life. Such a cowardly act. We have been put on earth to be judged by our actions, you’re karma will catch up with you. God forbid you ever have to deal with the pain of losing a child. We will leave it in gods hands to decide you’re fate. Hope you rott in hell for eternity you low life filthy scum bags. Bet you’re parents must be proud!!
That’s gurinder’s words right there. That’s what he would say if anyone was in trouble. Never let anyone down who needed help. Those are his exact words mate.
Gurinder helped me at school for being bullied by scum bags. Everyday after school I was bullied until he took it upon himself to help me out. Never got bullied again. David Williams you absolute incompetent, uneducated idiot. You labelled gurinder as a bully- far from it! He helped many people in Eastleigh. A tribute was paid to him in Eastleigh park last week. Many turned up including locals who had known him for years for helping them financially to feed families who struggled. You must believe anything you hear or rumoured. You are the type of scum who believes the earth is square! As for Sarah Davies, you are absolutely right about David Williams Mother giving sexual favours on street corners, I paid her for one – so that’s not a rumour it’s true! Gurinder was far from a bully. David William states ‘Whoever did it, did the police a favour and the local community’ So let me get this right, ‘whoever’ are MURDERERS and you are condoning they did the police and community a favour?? What a twat you are?! So murderers can roam the streets?! Looks like you the one who killed him?? Let’s try and trace your
Message and you can speak to the police about your statement. police have done a huge favour To the community and charged a few people for his murder. Still a missing puzzle so you must have been Involved as you seem to be all ok about the murderers! Go and join your mum on that Street corner mate…you got more chance or being noticed there than spreading rumours about a man With principle like
Gurinder on here.
G woz amazin man! he got Killed he don’t deserve that.He would never had killed anyone that Man.So sad g rest in peace My man.G would always fight with his fists one on one he would say never even used a stick to fight.Cowardly way to do it! Justice been don. Hope this wimps get life and never see their kids again!
The judge summed up all the evidence presented to the police including text messages from the defendants. Paul white tried to hide the murder. He was the one who picked up Astons Hanis and Charlie after they burnt the car they used to murder Gurinderjit Rai. Aston was seen a few days before at the crime scene and also the scene where they burnt the car. Aston hanis shot Gurinderjit Rai in the head and also neck. Can you even imagine what type of man would do that. Shoot once but he shot twice. Just think about that. Aston was bragging about how he was a drug dealer in court and how much money he made. He also bragged about how many people he recruited. The jury looked appalled by his admissions. Aston was a drug dealer and is a murderer. Long sentence of minimum 35 years sentence. This case was very long and interesting.
Interesting comments. Thank you.
I agree with the comments about the actual case as I went into the ‘over flow’ viewing gallery as I didn’t want to sit with the families of the accused. The families of the accused, especially Aston Hanis side, didn’t conduct themselves with dignity at all. The judge looked appalled at the way they reacted to the sentence yet the family of the victim conducted themselves with dignity throughout the case hence at the sentencing They had uniformed police which I guess was there to make sure the defendants families behaved themselves! mother of Aston hanis broke down and was weeping outside the corridors stating her son wasn’t a murderer after he was found guilty of murder. Can you even imagine how the mother of the victim felt. This case was interesting as Aston hanis did make admissions to being a drug dealer and making lots of money. The jury members obviously tax payers looked at him with disgrace! Standing there admitting to being some sort of law abiding citizen. He clearly stated in court how many people worked for him selling drugs. Bragging about it. The judge told him he would be an old man when he comes out of prison. The judge also announced she was confident Aston hanis pulled that trigger. This maybe was due to Charlie statham handing over a letter to the judge which he had written in prison. He obviously admitted to be being there at the lay-by lead by Aston hanis and told the judge he didn’t pull the trigger (to get a less a sentence) and that it was Aston. Paul white was the get away driver and tried to hide the text messages on his phone the judge stated. Paul white could have got away with a much less sentence his if he told the police what he knew. But instead tried to hide it and now paid the price and didn’t think about his children at the time- something the judge also stated about Paul white, how he should have thought about that before he lied. Aston hanis groomed all of them for his own gain. He looked at the judge the whole time when being sentenced where as with Charlie he was crying and shaking his head at mr The victims family with what seemed to be remorse in his eyes- or just trying to act up to get a less of a sentence. Charlie’s family also conducted themselves fairly well where as I can’t say the same about Astons family especially the mother. She was continuously staring at the victims family showing no regards. The least she could have done was to be remorseful- but supposed her attitude reflects on how Aston hanis conducted himself when he was asked to state he was in court. He didn’t speak and raised his hand up with attitude and was asked to speak up and still he didn’t. 35 years is a long time and probably one of the longest sentences i have seen come from Winchester crown court. Well deserved for someone causing such traumatic injuries to the head. All twelve jury members stated guilty to murder for Aston and Charlie. The evidence presented in court was overwhelming. As for the plonker Corbin Barlow who provided the gun also tried to hide it after he clearly knew what it was going to be and was used for! He tried to bribe a young guy -mr Morgan tarrant who came forward and was a Key witness to the case. He came forward and stated corin would pay him to hide the gun. Corin is the one who told Morgan Aston killed Mr Rai. I had followed this case for many weeks and hope the family of mr Rai got justice and some peace since the sentencing. Charlie statham looked a mess and it was mentioned how he attempted suicide before the murder. He certainly looked at though he wouldn’t be able to handle the 28 years of prison! As for Aston I doubt how anyone can live with themselves for any amount of time knowing their parents will not be around when they are released from prison. He apparently has children too. What a complete waste of lives and how many affected by drugs and money following greed. Maybe this comments and a few of the sensible facts should be posted on social media rather than speculation! Coming from someone who was in court should load any further comments.
The victim was a bully? yet it wasn’t him who stood up and admitted he was a drug dealer. It was Aston hanis who stood up and admitted it and bullied Charlie, Corin and white to do what he wanted. what ever he stated about the victim who he killed, is just all lies now. And the lies are gone with him to prison mrs Pie… Pyke or whatever. And you won’t be in this world when Aston comes out. So carry on making these comments whilst the boys who killed G rot in prison.
G has a back story. Majority of the public especially around eastleigh have responded to his murder in horror. Lovely man g and what ever he was or how ever he got into this horrible world or organised crime the man always seemed to help the old people financially and youngsters. He fought with his fists yes. And to kill him would have to be by the biggest coward. Aston hanis the judge said only used Charlie corin and white is because the word would have gotten out of Aston tried to use anyone else g knew. They were all loyal to g as Aston was a creepy man who used under ages women for sex trade. The judge said she wouldn’t send him to prison for that, as she wanted to sentence him for murder.
And..Gave the money to people in need. He helped his own family when needed. He wasn’t a bully. Please think about all of the kids who knew gurinder. They’re smart enough to go online and see all of this. All of your nasty comments on him which aren’t true. Yes he sold drugs but helped many. Many who showed up to tribute to him. G’s daughter is not going to have a father to walk her down the isle. And his son is just wondering where his father is. Please think about them and stop spreading nonsense