Praful Patel, a 49-year-old male, was a respected and well-liked businessman in Jeffersonville, Indiana, where he and his wife owned the Stop N Go convenience store. His life was tragically cut short on the night of October 11, 2018, when an armed assailant entered his store with the intent to rob him. The incident occurred at approximately 10:40 p.m., just before the store's closing time.
A man wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood drawn tightly to obscure his face held Patel at gunpoint before shooting him and fleeing the scene on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. A female customer who entered the store shortly after and found no one behind the counter called 911. When police arrived, they discovered Patel deceased in the office area of the store.
The murder of the beloved community member sparked an intensive investigation. The Jeffersonville Police Department, with the assistance of the FBI, worked for over two months to identify a suspect. Initially, the authorities released surveillance footage of the suspect and sought help from the public. The FBI even offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information that would lead to an arrest and conviction. The breakthrough in the case came from community tips that pointed investigators toward a suspect.
On December 29, 2018, police arrested 35-year-old Antonio McRae in connection with the murder of Praful Patel. McRae was found at his home in the Beech Grove Apartments, located less than half a mile from the convenience store. A search of his apartment revealed a weapon and clothing that matched what was seen in the surveillance video. During questioning, McRae admitted to his involvement in the robbery and murder. Though he later claimed he did not intend to harm Patel, he confessed to the crime.
Following his arrest, Antonio McRae was charged with one count of murder and one count of robbery. He initially entered a plea of not guilty. However, on June 13, 2019, McRae pleaded guilty to murder while committing an armed robbery. In August 2019, a judge sentenced him to 50 years in prison for the crime. The prosecutor noted that while it wasn't the maximum sentence, they were pleased with the outcome, which brought a sense of closure to Patel's family and the grieving community.
