In the early morning hours of August 7, 2014, Rajinder Kumar, a 49-year-old Indian man, was working his shift as a clerk at an Exxon gas station on Ridge Road in Hanover, Maryland. His life was tragically cut short when a masked gunman entered the store shortly after 1 a.m. The assailant, without uttering a word, shot Kumar before stepping over his body to steal money from the cash register. A customer discovered the scene at approximately 1:35 a.m.
and called 911, but by the time authorities arrived, Kumar had succumbed to his gunshot wounds.
The brazen and cold-blooded nature of the crime prompted a swift and intensive investigation by the Anne Arundel County Police Department, who quickly released surveillance footage to the public in the hopes of identifying the killer. The footage captured the suspect's distinct walk and clothing, and investigators urged friends and family of the individual to come forward. A significant reward of up to $27,000 was offered for information leading to an arrest and indictment, with contributions from the FBI, the Anne Arundel County Muslim Council, and Metro Crime Stoppers.
Weeks of investigation and numerous tips from the community eventually led detectives to identify a suspect. On October 24, 2014, a grand jury indicted 26-year-old Robin Tyrone Smith Jr. of Glen Burnie for the murder of Rajinder Kumar. He was arrested that same evening without incident. Smith was charged with first and second-degree murder, manslaughter, armed robbery, and firearm offenses. The motive for the brutal slaying was determined to be robbery.
In December 2015, Robin Tyrone Smith Jr. pleaded guilty to a robbery conspiracy and to the armed robbery of the Exxon station that resulted in Rajinder Kumar's death. According to his plea agreement, evidence showed that the. 45 caliber handgun used in the murder had been stolen by Smith during a burglary the day before the killing. Surveillance video from a store at the Arundel Mills Mall, where Smith sold stolen items from that burglary, showed him wearing the same clothes he wore during the fatal robbery. As part of the plea agreement, it was agreed that Smith would be sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in the violent and senseless death of Rajinder Kumar.
