Timothy Mwandi Church (left), 28, with his then-defense attorney Dirk Padgett at Church's trial in September 2019.
The Roanoke Times, File 2019
Jyotsana Patel testified Monday in Roanoke Circuit Court about the attack that left her husband, 60-year-old Ishvarlal Patel, dead of blunt force trauma to the head. She suffered a fractured collarbone and a broken wrist during the January 2018 incident.
NEIL HARVEY | The Roanoke Times
Roanoke Police Officer E.S. Woodson displays the baseball bat that was owned by Ishvarlal Patel. Investigators say it was taken from him by Timothy Church and used as the weapon in his death. Patel, 60, died Jan. 23, 2018, of blunt force trauma to the head.
NEIL HARVEY | The Roanoke Times
Roanoke Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Andrew Stephens said Timothy Mwandi Church used a baseball bat to fatally strike Ishvarlal Kuvarji Patel at the Starlite Motel.
Stark evidence and detailed testimony this week did not answer every question about the brutal 2018 slaying of a southwest Roanoke motel manager, but the pictures they drew were harrowing and potent.
Jyotsana Patel testified Monday in Roanoke Circuit Court about the attack that left her husband, 60-year-old Ishvarlal Patel, dead of blunt force trauma to the head. She suffered a fractured collarbone and a broken wrist during the January 2018 incident.
Roanoke Police Officer E.S. Woodson displays the baseball bat that was owned by Ishvarlal Patel. Investigators say it was taken from him by Timothy Church and used as the weapon in his death. Patel, 60, died Jan. 23, 2018, of blunt force trauma to the head.
Roanoke Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Andrew Stephens said Timothy Mwandi Church used a baseball bat to fatally strike Ishvarlal Kuvarji Patel at the Starlite Motel.
