Highlights:
- The FBI has increased the reward to $1 million for information leading to the arrest of Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel.
- Patel is accused of killing his wife, Palak Patel, at a doughnut shop in Hanover, Maryland in April 2015.
- Authorities say Patel fled the crime scene and disappeared after traveling to Newark, New Jersey.
- A federal arrest warrant was issued on April 20, 2015, charging him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
- The FBI believes Patel may have fled to Canada or India and warns that he should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has raised the reward for information leading to the arrest of Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel, an Indian national accused of killing his wife in 2015 at a doughnut shop in Maryland and then disappearing.
The FBI confirmed that the reward has now been increased to $1 million, significantly higher than the earlier amount of $250,000. When Patel first fled, authorities initially offered a reward of $100,000. The latest increase is part of an ongoing effort by the FBI to generate new leads and encourage the public to provide information that could help locate the suspect.
Patel, now 35 years old, is wanted in connection with the killing of his wife, 21-year-old Palak Patel, on April 12, 2015. The incident occurred while the couple was working a late shift at a doughnut shop in Hanover, Maryland, a store owned by a relative of Patel.
FBI investigation into the 2015 doughnut shop killing
According to investigators, the attack happened in a back room of the shop shortly before midnight. Authorities believe Patel struck or stabbed his wife multiple times with an object, leaving her fatally injured.
After the attack, Patel allegedly fled the store through a rear exit.
The crime was discovered when a customer entered the shop and noticed that no one was present to take his order. Concerned by the unusual situation, the customer alerted a nearby police officer. The officer then entered the store and found Palak Patel’s body inside the premises.
Investigators described the crime scene as extremely violent, and the FBI soon joined the case as part of the effort to locate the suspect.
FBI timeline of the suspect’s movements after the crime
Authorities say Patel returned briefly to the apartment he shared with his wife shortly after the attack. The apartment was located across the street from the doughnut shop.
Investigators believe he gathered cash and personal belongings before leaving the area. From there, Patel reportedly took a taxi to a hotel near Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
According to the FBI, he checked into the hotel at around 3 a.m. on April 13, 2015. Officials say he arrived without luggage and was wearing the same clothes from the night before.
Later that morning, Patel checked out of the hotel at approximately 10 a.m. and boarded a shuttle heading to Newark Penn Station. The FBI states that this was the last confirmed sighting of him.
Since that moment, his whereabouts have remained unknown.
FBI warning and possible locations of the suspect
Investigators believe Patel may have sought assistance from distant relatives or contacts after fleeing the United States. The FBI has said he may have traveled to Canada and could have eventually returned to India through Canada.
Officials have not confirmed any verified sightings since 2015.
The FBI has warned the public that Patel should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Authorities are asking anyone with information about his identity, location, or movements to contact law enforcement.
The increase in the reward to $1 million reflects the agency’s continued focus on solving the case and locating the suspect more than a decade after the killing.
The FBI is urging members of the public worldwide to come forward if they have information that could help investigators locate Patel and bring him into custody.
