Dante Ognibene-Hebbourn, 22, is facing a second-degree murder charge for the killing of Harmandeep Kaur at UBC Okanagan in February 2022.

Image Credit: FACEBOOK

Harmandeep Kaur died in hospital after she was assaulted at UBC Okanagan and one man has been charged in her death. But there is little information about her alleged killer.

Dante Ognibene-Hebbourn, 22, was working for a janitorial company at the university when the 24-year-old security guard was assaulted on Feb. 26.

Although Kelowna RCMP said a man was arrested under the Mental Health Act on the night of the assault, a news release later said B.C. Prosecution Service approved a second-degree murder charge against him.

If Ognibene-Hebbourn had much of a social media presence, it was gone by the time police announced his murder charge. His Facebook page contains only two publicly-facing photos and no public posts. He has no LinkedIn account and appears to have an Instagram account that is entirely private.

READ MORE: Killing of security guard at UBCO has Kelowna councillor calling for more mental health supports

Ognibene-Hebbourn's former muay thai coach, from Ontario, said he was "shocked" when he read the news.

"He left an impression on me," Muay Thai Niagara head coach Roger Lumyoung said. "He was very quiet. I had to use my coaching skills to get him to speak up and not be so quiet."

Lumyoung coached Ognibene-Hebbourn in St. Catharine's, Ontario when he was in his early-teens and said he spends more time with students who lack confidence both in their sport and their life. Ognibene-Hebbourn was one of those students.

Lumyoung didn't say what year, but at some point, Ognibene-Hebbourn's family removed him from the program and sent him away from the Niagara area to live with another family member. Sensing tension within the family, Lumyoung assured his mother that Ognibene-Hebbourn was welcome to come back anytime.

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"He disappeared for a year or six months. When he came back, he said, 'Listen Kru, I really want to better myself," Lumyoung said. "When he came back, he was shining. He was confident and he wanted to compete."

Ognibene-Hebbourn did start to compete, with some amateur competitions in 2016 and 2017. Lumyoung added, however, that he was not aggressive, even when sparring, and he would often apologize when things got too rough.

Lumyoung would not confirm the name of anyone in Ognibene-Hebbourn's family.

Ognibene-Hebbourn left the club nearly six years ago and Lumyoung did not know he was in Kelowna.

"I didn't know he was even in the country," Lumyoung said, adding that his mother went "off the grid" and his father "vanished from the picture."

It's not clear when Ognibene-Hebbourn moved to Kelowna.

READ MORE: Family of slain Kelowna security guard arrives in B.C. for funeral

FILE PHOTO - Harmandeep Kaur

Image Credit: GOFUNDME/Justice for Harmandeep Kaur

While Ognibene-Hebbourn's Facebook page appears to be sparse with details about who he is, a Twitter account that boasts support for a far-right Ontario political party appears to be linked to him.

Named Dante Ognibene, the Twitter page appears to exist to support the far-right People's Party of Canada and New Blue Ontario party. The provincial party, along with its economic policies, takes a hardline stance against "woke" politics and "critical race theory" in schools, tagging along to similar identity politics issues in the U.S.

The Twitter page was opened in December, 2019, but its first post is a retweet of PPC leader Maxime Bernier in January 2021.

iNFOnews.ca has not been able to fully confirm Ognibene-Hebbourn's ownership of the page.

iNFOnews.ca reached out to people connected to Ognibene-Hebbourn through his social media, most in the Niagara and St. Catharines, Ontario area.

Some did not respond and others confirmed they know him but refused to comment.

While reaching out to those who know him, an unknown person called iNFOnews.ca demanding we "stop harassing (Ognibene-Hebbourn's) family."

"Don't... play with me," the man said. "We're going to have a problem if you keep doing this."

He then hung up the phone.

Ognibene-Hebbourn is scheduled to appear in court to consult legal counsel on April 14 as the court process continues.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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