Mradulaben Patel, a 59-year-old Indian woman, was working at the BP gas station she co-owned with her husband in Piedmont, South Carolina, on the night of April 30, 2015, when a man entered the store. She had just spoken with her husband and had gotten a soda for their daughter to take home. The man purchased a cigar, and Patel entered his birthdate from his driver's license into the register to verify his age. Shortly after, he brandished a gun and demanded money.
When Patel raised her hand to push the gun away, the man fired a single shot, striking her in the head. As she fell, the cash register drawer closed, preventing the assailant from taking any money. He then fled the scene empty-handed.
A customer named Michael Wheat discovered Patel lying on the floor behind the counter, bleeding profusely, and immediately called 911. Emergency services arrived, and Patel was transported to a local hospital where she underwent surgery. Despite the medical efforts, she succumbed to her injuries and passed away two days later, on May 2, 2015. The community was shocked by the violent crime, and customers remembered Patel as a friendly and kind woman who always inquired about their well-being.
Investigators released surveillance footage from the store, which led to a crucial tip from the public through Crime Stoppers on May 4. The tip identified the suspect as 25-year-old Justin Jamal Warner of Atlanta, Georgia. Further investigation revealed that Warner's birthdate matched the one entered into the cash register just before the shooting. Cell phone records placed him in the vicinity of the gas station around the time of the crime, and his tattoos matched those seen on the man in the surveillance video. A palm print found at the scene was also identified as his. Warner was arrested in Clayton County, Georgia, on a probation violation and was subsequently extradited to South Carolina to face charges.
Justin Jamal Warner was charged with murder, attempted armed robbery, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Throughout the legal proceedings, he maintained his innocence. However, after a four-day trial in May 2017, a jury found him guilty on all charges after deliberating for just two hours. A judge then sentenced Warner to life in prison for the murder of Mradulaben Patel. Following the verdict, the local solicitor expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their diligent work in bringing the 'violent defendant' to justice and offered condolences to the Patel family for their profound loss.
