In the small town of Lewisburg, Tennessee, Paresh Patel, a 30-year-old man of Indian descent, was a familiar and friendly face to many. Known affectionately as 'Prince,' he was often found working behind the counter of the Marathon gas station on Mooresville Highway, where he was known for his cheerful demeanor and for making small gestures that mattered to his regular customers. His life, however, was tragically cut short on the night of Monday, May 19, 2025, in a senseless act of violence that shook the tight-knit community.
What began as a routine evening shift for Patel turned into a horrifying ordeal. A man entered the gas station under the guise of being a customer. Surveillance footage captured the moment the individual approached the counter, selected an item, and then, instead of paying, brandished a handgun. Despite Patel's immediate compliance, raising his hands and handing over cash from the register, the assailant shot him. The gunman then briefly left the frame of the video, only to return seconds later to shoot Patel again as he lay wounded on the floor.
The suspect fled the scene, but law enforcement acted swiftly. An investigation, which included the use of surveillance footage of the suspect's vehicle, led authorities to identify 50-year-old David Hamilton as the alleged shooter. Hamilton was apprehended the following day in the neighboring town of Pulaski, with the assistance of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Pulaski Police Department, and the Giles County Sheriff's Office. He was subsequently charged with criminal homicide and aggravated robbery and is being held in the Marshall County Jail.
The news of Paresh Patel's murder sent waves of shock and grief through Lewisburg and beyond. He was remembered not just as a store clerk, but as a beloved community member, a devoted husband, and a loving father to a young daughter. In the days following his death, a makeshift memorial of flowers and signs grew outside the gas station where he had worked. Community members gathered for a vigil to honor his life, sharing stories of his kindness and generosity. Described as a family man who was the sole provider for his wife and child in the U.S. and relatives back in his native village of Dingucha in Gujarat, India, his loss was deeply felt by all who knew him.
