The hunt for one of America’s most elusive fugitives just got a massive financial boost. On Tuesday, the FBI announced it has quadrupled the reward for Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel, now offering up to $1 million for information that leads to his capture.
This increase moves the bounty into the standard bracket for the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list, a significant jump from the previous $250,000 offer.
Patel is wanted for the 2015 murder of his 21-year-old wife, Palak Patel. The crime took place inside a Hanover, Maryland, donut shop where the couple worked the night shift together.
Investigators allege that on the night of April 12, 2015, Patel lured his wife into a back room just before midnight and stabbed her multiple times before fleeing the scene.
The trail went cold shortly after the killing. Authorities tracked Patel’s movements across the street to the couple’s apartment, where he grabbed cash and a few belongings before hailing a taxi.
Records show he traveled to a hotel near Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, checking in around 3:00 a.m. with nothing but the clothes on his back. By 10:00 a.m., he checked out and boarded a shuttle to Newark Penn Station. That was the last time he was seen.
“We hope this $1 million reward attracts greater attention to our tireless search for Bhadreshkumar Patel and leads to tips we need to provide justice for Palak Patel,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. He noted that the higher reward “reflects the seriousness of Patel’s crime and all the cases on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List.”
Patel was officially added to the prestigious list in 2017, becoming its 514th entry. The program has a high success rate; of the 538 fugitives who have appeared on the list since 1950, 500 have been apprehended—many thanks to citizen tips.
The FBI warns that Patel should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.
Members of the public are urged not to take action themselves but to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov. Those outside the United States should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. All tips can remain anonymous.
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