Indian-American couple killed by gunman in US

Image
Press Trust of India Houston
Last Updated : Aug 18 2015 | 6:28 PM IST
An elderly Indian-American couple has been shot dead in the US state of North Carolina and police have arrested a 20-year-old suspect in connection with the slayings.
Kantibhai Patel, 72, and his wife Hansaben Patel, 67 worked and lived at Best Western Point South were shot and killed on Sunday morning.
Hours later, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office arrested Joshua Lenard Poacher in connection with the slayings, Jasper County Sun Times reported.
Poacher was charged with two counts of murder in the killings of the Patels, it said.
Sheriff Greg Jenkins said Poacher was arrested without incident at a hotel in Ridgeland.
The Patels lived at the Point South-based hotel and had worked there for 10 years, according to the sheriff's office.
"A beautiful couple, no doubt," Jenkins said. "Lives were taken from them, senselessly. You could not give an account for such a tragedy; why an individual would do such a thing."
Jenkins said they were able to track down Poacher after he tried to use credit cards taken from the Patels. Police also viewed surveillance footage and received tips via phone calls.
It was not known what led to the homicides. Jenkins did not know if Poacher knew the couple.
"What led up to that, what was the relationship between the three individuals, we have no idea," Jenkins said.
The Patels were found shot inside a room at the hotel.
Jenkins said his office received tips that helped lead to Poacher's arrest, but there were no eyewitness accounts, no reports of an argument, shouting or a fight.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Aug 18 2015 | 6:28 PM IST

Next Story