Man with Area Ties Arrested Following Chesterfield Murder

The recent arrest of three suspects involved in the killing of a convenience store owner in Chesterfield County included one with ties to Lunenburg County.

Chesterfield authorities have arrested three of four people suspected of being involved in the killing of storeowner Harshad Patel.  Investigators released video surveillance camera footage last week of the four suspects and this resulted in three arrests so far. Last Wednesday, January 13, 2016, Thomas L. Jennings III, 18, of the 6900 block of Able Road in Chesterfield turned himself in to authorities following the release of the footage. Jennings has family and ties to the Lunenburg area. Reports also indicate that Jennings has been working at Amazon for the past three months.

According to reports, Jennings was charged with being a principal in the second degree murder, use of a firearm in a felony, attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery in relation to the incident.  He was being held in Chesterfield following this arrest.

Police also identified and arrested two other suspects: Trayvon M. Wilhite, 19, of Cedardale Lane, and a 14-year-old male who was not identified because of his age. Wilhite was arrested on January 12, in a separate incident, and the investigation has indicated that Wilhite is the suspect who was identified as the one that fired the shot that killed Patel leading to his first-degree murder charge.

Wilhite, was charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in a felony, attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery in connection with Patel’s slaying. He is being held without bond at Riverside Regional Jail.

The 14-year-old has been arrested and charged with murder in the second degree, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery in relation to the incident.

Police are still looking for another suspect, described as a black male wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a black ski mask.

According to reports, Patel was working at Marketplace convenience store at 6811 Walmsley Boulevard when the incident took place on Monday. He lived with his wife and two-year-old twin girls after recently becoming a naturalized citizen.