Ujjval 'Rocky' Patel, a 33-year-old Indian male, was tragically killed on April 22, 2016, in Ocala, Florida. Patel was working as a clerk at the Jiffy Food Store located at 2425 NW Blitchton Road when the incident occurred. According to reports, a gunman entered the store around 10 a.m. and attempted to rob it. Surveillance footage captured the assailant jumping over the counter and confronting Patel.
During the struggle, the gunman shot Patel in the head, resulting in his immediate death at the scene.
The Ocala Police Department quickly launched an investigation into the murder of Ujjval Patel. Within a week, they identified Keon'dre Demerio Duncan, a 19-year-old black male, as the primary suspect. Duncan was apprehended on January 20, 2017, during a traffic stop at the Paddock Mall in Ocala. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder with a firearm. Duncan had a prior arrest record, including a charge for battery on a school official earlier in 2016.
The trial for Keon'dre Duncan began in September 2019. During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence that Duncan had planned to commit the robbery and had confessed to a friend about the shooting. The defense, however, argued that Duncan was not present at the store during the incident and that the state had accused the wrong person. Despite these claims, the jury found Duncan guilty of the charges against him.
Ujjval Patel's death had a profound impact on the local community, where he was well-known and liked by many of his customers. His family described him as the glue that held them together, and his loss was deeply felt by all who knew him.
