Wife Killed At Dunkin', Police Searching For Husband Decade Later: Officers

HANOVER, MD — A man vanished after fatally stabbing his wife at a Hanover Dunkin', police said.

Officers said he hasn't been seen since 21-year-old Palak Patel was killed a decade ago, a solemn anniversary that passed this Saturday.

Detectives hope increasing the reward to $250,000 will help someone find 34-year-old suspect Bhadreshkumar Patel, who landed on the FBI's most wanted list eight years ago.

Authorities said the victim and her husband were working at the Dunkin' located at 7657 Arundel Mills Boulevard on April 12, 2015.

The victim spoke with family during the shift and made plans to return home to India as she longed to reunite with her family there, police said.

Officers said the conversation enraged the suspect and led to the fatal attack.

"Bhadreshkumar committed a violent assault with an edged weapon. She died from severe sharp-force trauma," Anne Arundel County Police Department spokesperson Marc Limansky told Patch in a Tuesday email.

A press release said the victim was a "hardworking, aspiring teacher who looked forward to having children in the future."

"Palak Patel was described as the most caring and kind person by those who knew and loved her. She was brutally murdered at the hands of her husband, however, the passage of time does not diminish our resolve to bring justice for Palak and her family," Anne Arundel County Chief of Police Amal E. Awad said in the release. "We are grateful for our partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in this investigation, and we urge anyone with information to come forward."

Authorities said the suspect returned to their home, collected personal belongings and fled via taxi to Newark, New Jersey.

Police said his last known sighting before vanishing was at Newark-Penn Station the morning after the killing.

"We don't have any indication Bhadreshkumar fled the country, but the possibility of this has not been dismissed," Limansky said.

The Anne Arundel County Police Department and the FBI have received hundreds of tips over the past 10 years, but none have led law enforcement to the suspect.

The FBI placed the suspect on its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List in 2017 with an initial reward of $100,000.

"We have never let up, nor given up hope that we will find Bhadreshkumar Patel so that justice will prevail. The FBI pledges to keep doing all we can to find and arrest him," FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno said in the release. "We continue down this road for Palak and for those who loved her and encourage anyone who may know something to contact law enforcement."

The Anne Arundel County Police Department asked anybody who knows the whereabouts of Bhadreshkumar Patel or any details related to this case to call 410-222-4731. Tipsters can stay anonymous by dialing 410-222-4700.

The FBI is also accepting tips at 1-800-Call-FBI and Tips.fbi.gov.

This map shows the Dunkin' where investigators said the killing happened.