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Suspect could face death penalty for fatal shooting in Turlock
Millington
Cole Nathaniel Millington

The third suspect arrested for the murder of a 21-year-old man appeared in court Monday, but did not enter a plea to the charges lodged against him.

Cole Nathaniel Millington, 23, is facing multiple charges, including murder for the Nov. 6, 2013 fatal shooting of Amripal Sandhu. Millington appeared in Stanislaus County Superior Court Monday with attorney Robert Orenstein for an arraignment, but it was postponed to give Orenstein enough time to determine if there would be a conflict in representing Millington because his firm has been representing one of the other two defendants also charged with Sandhu’s murder.

A new arraignment date was set for May 12. Millington remains in custody without bail at the Stanislaus County Jail.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m. Nov. 6, 2013, the California Highway Patrol received an emergency call from Sandhu, who said he was being shot at as he drove southbound on Highway 99, near Taylor Road. Moments later the Turlock Police Department received multiple reports of shots fired in the area of Pioneer Avenue. Additional reports led officers to the corner of E. Main Street and N. Minaret Avenue, where they found an Acura Infiniti that had run up on the curb in front of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Sandhu was found behind the driver’s wheel with three gunshot wounds. The 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

 

Millington was named a suspect in Sandhu’s death in February. He is facing a charge of homicide with the enhancements that the shooting was premeditated and that he used a gun. The criminal complaint also alleges Millington lied in wait to kill Sandhu.

Pardeep Singh, 21, of Turlock, and Kultar Singh Dhatt, 22, of Turlock were both arrested for Sandhu’s murder and charged with homicide and making criminal threats. The criminal complaint against both men also alleges a special circumstance that the men fired shots from one vehicle to another with the intent to kill.

The special allegations against all three men make the cases against them capital murder charges and eligible for the death penalty. The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office has not yet determined if they will pursue the death penalty for any of the defendants. Millington is not currently being tried with Singh or Dhatt.

Singh and Dhatt have pled not guilty to the charges against them. They are being held in custody at the Stanislaus County Jail.

Millington was taken into custody Thursday night after trying to flee law enforcement in Vallejo.