More Than a Decade Later, FBI Offers $1 Million in Search for Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel
FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive
Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel remains wanted for the alleged 2015 murder of his wife, Palak Patel, while the couple was working a night shift at a donut shop in Hanover, Maryland. More than a decade after the killing, the FBI continues an active search for Patel and is offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to his arrest.
Patel was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on April 18, 2017, becoming the 514th person placed on the list. He remains on the list today, and the FBI warns that he should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.
The FBI increased the reward for information leading to Patel’s arrest to as much as $1 million in March 2026. Authorities hope the substantially larger reward will generate new attention and produce information capable of ending a fugitive investigation that began in April 2015.
Murder of Palak Patel
The case began on April 12, 2015, in Hanover, Maryland. Bhadreshkumar Patel and his 21-year-old wife, Palak Patel, were both working the night shift at a donut shop on Arundel Mills Boulevard.
According to the FBI, customers were still in the front portion of the business when the couple went into a back area shortly before midnight. Investigators allege that Patel attacked his wife there, repeatedly stabbing her.
Palak suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The FBI has continued to emphasize her story while asking the public to help investigators locate the man accused of killing her.
Couple Had Moved From India
Bhadreshkumar and Palak Patel were originally from India and had traveled to the United States. They eventually lived in Hanover, Maryland, where they worked together at a donut shop owned by one of Patel’s relatives.
The FBI has reported that the couple’s visas had expired in March 2015, approximately one month before Palak’s death. Investigators later learned that Palak wanted to return to India.
According to an FBI account of the investigation, Palak was speaking with a family member on the telephone before the killing and discussing her desire to return home. Shortly afterward, she and her husband walked toward the back portion of the business.
Attack Occurred During the Night Shift
The alleged attack happened just before midnight while customers remained elsewhere in the donut shop. Investigators say Patel repeatedly stabbed his wife in the back room before leaving through a rear door.
The location and timing of the attack became important parts of the investigation. Surveillance footage captured the couple during their final minutes together and later helped authorities reconstruct Patel’s movements immediately following the killing.
The FBI and Anne Arundel County Police Department subsequently used surveillance material and other evidence in their efforts to locate Patel.
Patel Allegedly Fled Immediately After the Killing
Investigators believe Patel left the donut shop immediately after attacking his wife. Rather than remaining at the scene, he allegedly walked across the street to the apartment he shared with Palak.
According to the FBI, Patel changed clothes and collected several items from the apartment. Investigators have said he also took cash and his passport before leaving.
Those actions became important to the fugitive investigation because they suggested Patel was preparing to leave the area rather than simply departing the crime scene temporarily.
Taxi Ride Away From Hanover
After collecting his belongings, Patel allegedly hailed a taxi and left the Hanover area. Investigators subsequently reconstructed portions of his journey north from Maryland.
His movements eventually brought him to New Jersey, hundreds of miles from the location where his wife had been killed only hours earlier.
The rapid movement between Maryland and New Jersey gave investigators an immediate challenge. Authorities had to determine whether Patel intended to remain in the United States, leave the country, or receive assistance from other people.
Traced to Newark, New Jersey
The FBI was able to follow Patel’s movements to the Newark, New Jersey, area. He reportedly arrived at a hotel near Newark Liberty International Airport at approximately 3 a.m. following the killing.
Patel later checked out of the hotel at approximately 10 a.m. Investigators learned that he entered a hotel shuttle and was driven to Newark Penn Station.
That location became the last major point in the timeline established by investigators. After reaching the Newark area, Patel disappeared.
Last Known Location
The FBI currently states that Patel was last known to be in the Newark, New Jersey, area.
Despite years of investigation, his whereabouts have not been publicly confirmed since his movements through New Jersey shortly after Palak’s death. The possibility that Patel received assistance from other people has long been part of the investigation.
Authorities have previously said they believed he might have received help from relatives or friends in the New Jersey area. Investigators have continued pursuing leads in an effort to determine what happened after he was taken to Newark Penn Station.
No Confirmed Legal Departure From the United States
During the early investigation, the FBI stated that there was no indication Patel had legally departed the United States.
His possession of a passport and international background naturally raised questions about whether he could have attempted to leave the country. However, authorities were unable to publicly establish a confirmed legal departure.
The uncertainty surrounding his movements means investigators must consider information from both inside and outside the United States.
Local Murder Charges Filed
The day after the killing, authorities obtained a local arrest warrant for Patel.
On April 13, 2015, the District Court of Maryland for Anne Arundel County issued the warrant. Patel was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and dangerous weapon with intent to injure.
Those charges concern the alleged killing of Palak Patel. Because Bhadreshkumar Patel remains a fugitive, the charges have not been resolved through trial.
Federal Fugitive Charge
The search became a federal matter shortly after the local warrant was issued.
On April 20, 2015, a federal arrest warrant was issued through the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in Baltimore. Patel was federally charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
The federal charge allowed the FBI to pursue Patel as a fugitive while assisting local authorities seeking his return to Maryland.
Added to FBI Ten Most Wanted List
After approximately two years without an arrest, the FBI escalated its efforts to locate Patel by adding him to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
On April 18, 2017, Patel became the 514th fugitive added to the list. His addition generated widespread publicity and resulted in his photograph, physical description, and case information being distributed nationally and internationally.
Patel has remained on the list for years, making his case one of the FBI’s longstanding active Ten Most Wanted investigations.
FBI Description of Bhadreshkumar Patel
The FBI lists Patel’s full name as Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel. He also uses the name Bhadreshkumar C. Patel and has been referred to as Bhadresh.
According to the FBI, Patel was born on May 15, 1990, in Kantrodi Ta Viramgam, Gujarat, India. His nationality is listed as Indian.
The FBI describes Patel as approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and approximately 165 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. His occupation at the time of the killing was listed as an employee of the donut shop.
Appearance Could Be Different Today
Patel was in his twenties when he disappeared in April 2015. More than a decade has now passed, meaning his current appearance could differ substantially from photographs taken around the time of the killing.
His weight, hairstyle, facial hair, clothing, and general appearance may have changed naturally over time or could have been deliberately altered.
For that reason, people reviewing the FBI’s photographs should consider his complete physical description and other identifying information rather than relying exclusively on a single image from 2015.
Connections Across the United States and Canada
During its investigation, the FBI has identified connections Patel had to several locations. Previous FBI information has noted ties to Maryland, New Jersey, Kentucky, Georgia, Illinois, and Canada.
Those connections expanded the potential geographic scope of the search beyond the Hanover and Newark areas.
Information concerning people Patel knew in any of these locations could potentially help investigators establish what happened after he disappeared. Even contacts dating back many years could provide information about relatives, friends, employment, travel, or other relationships relevant to the investigation.
Investigators Continue Following Leads
The passage of time has not ended the investigation. In 2025, the FBI publicly emphasized that investigators remained committed to finding Patel and continued following leads received by the Bureau.
Long-running fugitive cases can depend heavily on public assistance because relationships and circumstances change over time. Someone who previously refused to provide information may eventually decide to come forward, while another person may encounter the fugitive without knowing about the outstanding case.
Investigators are therefore continuing to publicize Patel’s photographs and identifying information in hopes that someone recognizes him.
Older Information May Still Be Important
Information about Patel does not necessarily need to involve a recent sighting to be valuable.
Someone who encountered him years ago could identify a residence, workplace, telephone number, vehicle, associate, or location previously unknown to investigators. Authorities can compare that information with other records and tips to reconstruct a fugitive’s movements.
A person who believes they encountered Patel after April 2015 should therefore consider reporting the information even if the encounter occurred years ago.
People Assisting Patel Could Hold Critical Information
Authorities have long investigated whether Patel received assistance after leaving Maryland.
Anyone who provided him with transportation, housing, money, employment, identification documents, communications assistance, or travel arrangements could possess information capable of advancing the investigation.
People who know where Patel previously lived or who maintained contact with him after his disappearance may also be able to identify more recent associates. Investigators, rather than members of the public, should determine whether such information remains relevant.
FBI Warns Patel Is Extremely Dangerous
The FBI states that Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.
Anyone who believes they recognize Patel should not approach, confront, follow, detain, or attempt to apprehend him. Instead, information should be provided directly to law enforcement.
A useful tip could include details about the location and time of a sighting, a residence, vehicle, workplace, telephone number, associate, or other identifying information. Authorities can then determine how to investigate the information safely.
Baltimore FBI Leads the Search
The FBI’s Baltimore Field Office handles Patel’s wanted investigation, reflecting the connection between the federal fugitive case and the murder investigation in Maryland.
The FBI has worked closely with the Anne Arundel County Police Department throughout the investigation. Both agencies have repeatedly appealed to the public for information capable of locating Patel.
The continuing federal involvement allows information from across the United States and internationally to be evaluated as investigators work to determine where Patel went after disappearing in New Jersey.
Reward Increased to $1 Million in 2026
The reward attached to Patel’s case has increased substantially over the years.
When the FBI first began searching for him in 2015, a reward of up to $20,000 was offered for information leading to his arrest. When he was added to the Ten Most Wanted list in 2017, the reward was up to $100,000. It was later increased to $250,000.
On March 10, 2026, the FBI announced another major increase. The Bureau is now offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to Patel’s arrest.
Renewed Push for Justice for Palak
The FBI has continued to emphasize that the investigation is ultimately about obtaining justice for Palak Patel and her family.
Palak was only 21 years old when she was killed. The FBI marked the tenth anniversary period of her death by renewing public attention on her story and asking anyone who might know Patel’s whereabouts to come forward.
Investigators have stressed that someone may know Patel today without realizing that the person they know is an FBI Ten Most Wanted fugitive. Years of changes in appearance and circumstances can make recognition difficult, which is one reason the FBI continues republishing his information.
$1 Million Reward Remains Available
The FBI is offering up to $1 million for information leading to the arrest of Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel.
Anyone with information can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips may also be submitted through the Bureau’s official online tip system.
Individuals outside the United States can contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Anyone who believes they have located Patel should follow the FBI’s warning and allow law-enforcement authorities to handle the situation.
Search Continues More Than a Decade Later
More than 11 years after Palak Patel was killed in Hanover, Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel remains one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. His disappearance after traveling from Maryland to Newark, New Jersey, has resulted in a fugitive investigation spanning more than a decade.
Federal authorities continue seeking information about where Patel went after reaching the Newark area, who may have assisted him, and where he is living today. His age and appearance may have changed considerably since the photographs taken in April 2015, but the FBI continues to believe public awareness can produce the information needed to locate him.
The charges against Patel remain allegations unless and until proven in court. Anyone with credible information concerning his whereabouts should contact law enforcement and should not attempt to apprehend him.
Sources
FBI — Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel Ten Most Wanted Profile
FBI Baltimore — $1 Million Reward Increase for Bhadreshkumar Patel
FBI — Justice for Palak Patel: A Life Gone Too Soon
FBI — Bhadreshkumar Patel Added to Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
