Summerville, Ga., police are investigating their first homicide in more than a decade.
Chiragkumar Patel, 47, died Sunday, two months after investigators say a pair of teenagers stormed into his convenience store, shot him in the stomach and stole cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and Doritos. The suspects, 18-year-olds Zaykives Banard McCray and Dylon Dave Allen, remained at the Floyd County Jail without bond Thursday.
Detective Ty Hutchins, with the Summerville Police Department, said the robbery/shooting occurred around 9 p.m. on Jan. 15. Wearing masks and sweatshirts, the robbers rushed into the Melanie Inn Convenience Store at 126 Hawkins Drive.
Hutchins said after talking to witnesses and other sources, police believe Allen shot Patel in the left side of the stomach with a .380 automatic handgun. McCray then shoved a customer into a counter, and the two men ran away with stolen items, including cash from Patel's wallet.
He said the two also were suspects in a pawnshop burglary in Rome, Ga., where one of the two burglars wore a backpack in front of his body - just like one of the robbers at the Melanie Inn.
On Feb. 5, Summerville police obtained arrest warrants for Allen and McCray on charges of armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm in the commission of a crime and wearing masks, hoods or devices to conceal their identities.
Hutchins said Patel was at Floyd Medical Center for about two months before he succumbed to his injury on Sunday. The next day, Summerville police charged Allen and McCray with murder.
This is the first homicide in Summerville since 1999, Hutchins said. He was not with the department when that crime happened and did not know the details.
The Melanie Inn did not have bulletproof glass to protect the clerk, Hutchins said. Police have not recovered the weapon used, though they recovered a .380 bullet casing at the scene.
Contact staff writer Tyer Jett at tjett@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6476.