Man convicted of first-degree murder of Indian American Smurti Patel

Timothy Varmall, of Sacramento, has been found guilty of the first-degree murder of Smurti Patel.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Diya TV) — Timothy Varmall, who had been accused of killing an Indian-American woman that rejected his romantic advances, has been convicted of first-degree murder.

Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Bowman on Friday found the 50-year-old Varmall guilty in the death of 44-year-old Smurti Patel, according to a Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office news release. The judge also found that Varmall was armed and committed the murder by lying in wait for the victim.

From a period stretching between September 2014 and February 2015, Varmall followed Patel and planned “coincidental” encounters with her to make her think favorably of him. His purpose was to find the best opportunity to kill the woman, the news release said. On Feb. 9, 2015, Varmall stalked Patel as she boarded a local light-rail train. As the two were getting off the train, Patel caught a glimpse of Varmall and agreed to walk with him. While the two were crossing the street, Varmall stabbed Patel seven times, then fled the area.

Patel died of her wounds four days later.

Varmall confided in one of Patel’s friends that he murdered her because he was romantically interested in Patel and she had rejected him, the news release said. The court found that Varmall had two prior strike convictions under California’s “three strikes” law, both for sex offenses.

He will be sentenced on June 9.