Indian origin man kills wife in US, tries to flee to India
Ankur Patel, 31, allegedly stabbed his estranged wife to death in Chicago in August after she refused to reconcile with him, according to reports
A 31-year-old Indian-origin man has been charged with first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing his estranged wife in Chicago in August.
Ankur Patel allegedly attacked his estranged wife (32) after she refused to get back together with him and said she wanted to stay with her new partner.
The couple had a daughter. They separated in May when she left their home in Wisconsin, but family members pressured her to return, and she came home briefly before leaving again. She later moved to Louisiana and began dating a former colleague. The child stayed with Patel.
According to officials, Patel threatened to kill both his wife and her new partner, and he stopped her from speaking to their daughter, which set off repeated arguments, reported NDTV.
Woman travelled to Chicago to see daughter
About two weeks before the killing, he moved in with relatives in Chicago and sent the child to live with his parents in India without informing his wife.
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Unaware that her daughter had left the country, the woman drove to Chicago with her new partner. He waited outside Patel's apartment while she went in, and she found the child gone. After she allegedly refused to reconcile with him, Patel fatally stabbed her in the neck.
Partner raises alarm after she fails to return
Her partner kept messaging her. When she did not return, he called the police. Officers came to the building but reportedly left as he could not say which apartment she had entered.
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Patel's friends found her body later that night. They had arranged to meet him, and when he did not show up they went to his apartment, where she lay dead near a washing machine.
Patel tried to flee to India
Patel allegedly went to O'Hare International Airport hoping to flee to India, but the ticket counter was closed. He checked into a nearby hotel instead and reportedly disposed of the knife. He later bought new clothes at a Target store. The next day he bought a flight ticket, but was arrested before boarding.
During questioning, Patel said he had not intended to kill his wife but "finished her" after she said she wanted to remain with her new partner.