Two men were shot the afternoon of October 2, 2025, near the shuttered Lamplighter Inn on Eddleman Road off I-85 in northwest Charlotte. First responders found two wounded men; both were transported for treatment and did not survive. One victim was Pankaj Patel, 54, of South Asian heritage. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department immediately treated the case as a double homicide.

By October 3 investigators said they had identified a suspect, secured warrants and coordinated with officers in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where a 38-year-old man, Alvaro Luis Ozuna-Sierra, was taken into custody in connection with the killings. Authorities reported two counts tied to the homicides and said CMPD homicide detectives would continue the inquiry into motive and any additional leads. Community and memorial pages noted Pankaj Patel by name and date.

Did anyone in the Charlotte area know Pankaj Patel or see activity around the former Lamplighter Inn that afternoon?