CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - A somber mood inside the Baps Hindu Temple in Chesterfield County as hundreds of people remember a man deeply rooted in his faith.
Paresh Patel was abducted from outside his Jeff Davis Highway gas station last week. His body was discovered in South Richmond four days later.
Rajendra Patel, Paresh’s brother-in-law, said the day before Paresh was abducted, the two took a walk through their neighborhood.
"He looked fine," Rajendra said. "He was talking about the family and so forth, but I did not see anything unusual.”
Thursday, a city worker discovered Paresh's body at Anncarrow's Landing in South Richmond; turning the missing person's case into a homicide investigation.
"We know what happened, but we want to know why," Rajendra said. "Paresh has an excellent sense of humor and I always told Paresh he should be a standup comedian. You're in the wrong business."
Patel's family told CBS 6 Paresh came to the United States in 1991 and joined his wife in Richmond. They eventually opened a Raceway gas station on Jefferson Davis Highway.
"We have been taught in our culture that the solution is not getting upset or getting revenge,” said Patel.
The family told CBS 6 they hoped and prayed that the authorities, "Do work hard to find the individuals who committed this heinous crime. And those guys can get punishment,” said Patel.
The family said once police turn over Paresh Patel’s body, a funeral service will be planned.
