After a May separation, Patel’s wife moved to Louisiana, began dating a former colleague, and returned briefly to Chicago only to leave again under family pressure. A local lawyer, Rahul Deshmukh, confirmed that the couple had split in May and the wife had flown back to Chicago, where she ultimately relocated to Louisiana. Earlier in August, Patel moved into relatives’ Chicago apartment and secretly sent their 5‑year‑old daughter to live with his parents in India without informing his wife. An interview with Patel’s sister, Meera Patel, revealed that the daughter was taken to India while the mother was in the city. When the wife and her new partner drove to Chicago, Patel met her outside the apartment building and demanded reconciliation. Refused, he stabbed her in the neck; police found her body near a washing machine in the living room. The Chicago Police report details that the body was discovered by the couple’s friends who had expected Patel to be home. Following the murder, Patel tried to flee via O’Hare International Airport but could not purchase a ticket because the counter had closed. He checked into a nearby hotel, disposed of the murder weapon in the lobby, and bought new clothes at Target. A hotel clerk, Rajesh Kumar, confirmed that Patel stayed overnight and left the knife behind. During questioning, Patel told officers that he had not intended to kill his wife but “finished her” after she said she wanted to stay with her new partner. He is now charged with first‑degree murder and is scheduled for arraignment on September 10.