A California Board of Parole Hearings panel denied parole to Bikkar Singh on Oct. 15, finding that he would pose an unreasonable risk to public safety if released from prison. Singh, now 43, was convicted of second-degree murder for shooting his former employer, Gian Heer, three times with a shotgun on May 4, 2006, then dumping his body in a drainage ditch weighted down with orchard equipment.
The denial comes just months after a Yolo Superior Court judge slashed Singh's sentence from 44 years to life down to 15 years to life. According to yoloda.org, Judge Sonia Cortes recalled the sentence on May 29 and struck the firearms enhancement and vehicle theft convictions after the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation secretary sent a letter to the court on Oct. 6, 2025, requesting that Singh be resentenced. The Yolo County Public Defender filed a motion supporting that request, while the Yolo County District Attorney opposed it.
Heer had immigrated to the United States from India in 1986 and went on to start a successful pistachio orchard in Yolo County. He hired Singh and let him live on the farm because Singh had no transportation of his own, according to the same account. Singh was convicted by a Yolo County jury in 2008 of second-degree murder, a firearms enhancement and vehicle thefts, though a separate account from the Davis Enterprise describes the convictions as second-degree murder, auto theft, grand theft and a firearm enhancement.
What Happened the Day Heer Was Killed
Per the yoloda.org account, Singh stole Heer's wallet, which contained $100, and smoked methamphetamine with friends before the shooting. Heer had reported his truck stolen to police. At trial, Singh testified he acted in self-defense and felt threatened by Singh, but at this month's hearing he admitted that he murdered Heer.
Singh appeared at the Oct. 15 hearing from prison, represented by his attorney, while ten members of Heer's family attended in person. Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven and Victim Advocate Laura Valdes were also present, and Heer's son and son-in-law read victim impact statements to the commissioners. Commissioner Kevin Chappell presided, assisted by Deputy Commissioner Ashley Allred.
Fraud, Abuse Allegations Surface at Hearing
Allred questioned Singh about domestic violence issues and issues with power and control, and Singh admitted he was dating a 16-year-old girl at the time of the murder and that he had abused her emotionally, sexually and physically, the same account states. Singh also admitted to committing restitution fraud in prison from 2009 through 2024, describing a scheme in which an inmate hides money owed to a victim by having another inmate hold it, with that inmate paid 20 percent for holding the funds. Singh said he did this more than 1,000 times. Judge Cortes was not aware of the restitution fraud when she reduced his sentence in May.
Dr. Brad Barcklay completed a 17-page comprehensive risk assessment three months before the hearing, diagnosing Singh with antisocial personality disorder and rating him a moderate risk for future violence. Barcklay said Singh may require additional time to demonstrate sustained growth. Commissioner Chappell discussed Singh's significant progress during nearly 20 years in prison.
Commissioners Cite Manipulation, Lack of Insight
After the four-hour hearing and 20 minutes of deliberation, commissioners denied parole. Chappell said Singh was violent and manipulative and did not understand the harm he caused to others, according to yoloda.org's account of the hearing. Melinda Aiello commended the commissioners' decision, saying Singh still posed an unreasonable risk to public safety.
Singh is serving his sentence at the California Health Care Facility and will be eligible for parole again in three years. His earlier appeals and clemency application were also unsuccessful: his first appeal was denied in 2009, a second appeal was denied in 2014, and a clemency application was denied in 2018.
The case reflects a broader pattern in California parole proceedings, where the Board of Parole Hearings must determine whether an incarcerated person currently poses an unreasonable risk of danger to society before granting release, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Statewide, the agency's Board of Parole Hearings statistical data shows thousands of suitability hearings are held each year, though complete current figures were not available.
