NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Baltimore, MD, March 11, 2026: The Federal Bureau of Investigation has increased the reward to up to $1 million for information leading to the arrest of Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel, an Indian national accused of killing his wife at a Maryland donut shop in 2015 and fleeing before authorities could apprehend him.
The reward increase, announced this week, is part of renewed efforts by federal investigators to generate new leads in the decade-old case. Patel, now 35, has been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since April 2017 and remains one of the longest-running fugitives on the list.
Authorities say Patel allegedly murdered his 21-year-old wife, Palak Patel, while both were working the night shift at a Dunkin’ Donuts in Hanover, Maryland, on April 12, 2015. The couple had moved to the United States in September 2014 to visit relatives and were working at the donut shop, which was owned by a family member.
Investigators say surveillance footage from the store captured the couple walking together into the kitchen area late that evening. Prosecutors believe an argument between the two escalated into violence. Palak Patel was later found dead in the kitchen, having been struck and stabbed multiple times with a weapon believed to have been a large kitchen knife.
Customers inside the shop initially did not realize what had happened. According to investigators, the store had been open with patrons present when the couple went into the back room. Concern grew when no employees appeared to serve customers, prompting someone to contact authorities. When police arrived, they discovered Palak Patel’s body in the kitchen area.
Authorities say Bhadreshkumar Patel fled immediately after the killing. Investigators later reconstructed his movements through surveillance footage and witness accounts. After leaving the donut shop, Patel is believed to have returned briefly to the apartment he shared with his wife, where he collected cash and personal belongings before leaving again.
Police say he then hired a taxi and traveled north to Newark, New Jersey. Records show that Patel checked into a hotel near Newark Liberty International Airport around 3 a.m. on April 13, 2015. He paid in cash and stayed only a few hours. Later that morning, surveillance cameras captured him leaving the hotel and boarding a shuttle headed toward Newark Penn Station.
That sighting on April 13, 2015, is the last confirmed record of Patel’s whereabouts. He has not been publicly seen since.
Federal authorities believe Patel may have fled the United States and could be hiding abroad, possibly in India or another country, potentially with assistance from individuals who know his location. Investigators say he may also have altered his appearance or identity.
Patel faces several charges in connection with the case, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, dangerous weapon with intent to injure, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
The FBI added Patel to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in April 2017, making him the 514th individual placed on the list. Over the years, the reward for information leading to his capture has steadily increased—from $100,000 initially to $250,000, and now to $1 million, the largest amount offered in the case so far.
Investigators hope the significantly increased reward will prompt someone with knowledge of Patel’s whereabouts to come forward after more than a decade on the run.
The FBI urges anyone with information about Bhadreshkumar Patel’s location to contact the agency or submit tips through its official channels.
