Columbus, GA, Sept. 10, 2025: Nearly four years after the tragic murder of Columbus gas station owner Amit Patel, the FBI Atlanta Field Office has announced a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects. Patel, 45, was fatally shot outside Synovus Bank on Buena Vista Road on the morning of December 6, 2021, during what investigators describe as a targeted robbery.
According to investigators, Patel arrived at the bank to make a business deposit when a stolen Toyota Tacoma with a missing license plate pulled into the parking lot. One of the suspects exited the truck, confronted Patel, and shot him before fleeing with the deposit bag. The Tacoma then sped away. The brazen attack took place in front of the bank, which at the time shared a building with the Columbus Police Department’s east precinct.
Authorities believe the robbers may have known Patel’s routine of making Monday deposits from his business earnings. His business partner told local media in 2021 that Patel typically carried weekend proceeds to the bank on Mondays—a routine that may have been observed by those who planned the crime.
The crime shocked the East Columbus community and devastated Patel’s family. He was remembered as a hardworking entrepreneur, a husband, and a father to a young daughter.
Despite extensive investigation by the Columbus Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI, no arrests have been made. With the reward announcement, federal authorities hope to generate new leads.
“We are asking the public to take a close look at this case and come forward with any information—no matter how small—that could help bring justice to Amit Patel and his family,” the FBI Atlanta Field Office said in its release.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Columbus Police Department’s homicide line at (706) 225-3161.
