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Two Awaiting Sentencing for 2015 Murder of Indian American Store Clerk in Connecticut
Patel was shot at least five times during the course of the robbery and died of bullet wounds to his chest.
Two men are awaiting sentencing for the April 6, 2015 murder of Indian American store clerk Sanjay Patel, who was repeatedly shot by gunmen as he stood behind the counter of the Pay Rite Food/Citgo gas station in New Haven, Connecticut.
A jury deliberated for less than four hours Feb. 7 before finding Dwayne Sayles guilty of felony murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, criminal possession of a firearm and carrying a pistol without a permit. Sayles’ trial ended Feb. 5, and the jury began deliberations, but had to stop when one juror claimed she saw the defendant while visiting her husband in the same jail where Sayles was being held on $2 million bail. The juror said Sayles recognized her and waved to her, which caused her to fear for her safety, reported the New Haven Register.