A 78-year-old man charged with murder following the discovery of a woman’s body in Rugby has died in custody.
Surendra Patel was arrested in October after officers found the body of a woman in her 70s at a property in Aqua Place, Rugby, Warwickshire. Both the suspect and the victim were reported to reside at the same address.
Warwickshire Police were called to the property at approximately 9:40 AM on 8 October, where the woman was pronounced dead. Patel was later charged with her murder.
Death in Custody
Mr Patel died on 31 October while being held at HMP Hewell in Redditch. He passed away in hospital, according to Warwickshire Police.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service confirmed the death, stating:
“As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
The circumstances surrounding Mr Patel’s death have not been disclosed.
Ongoing Investigation
The death of the woman and the subsequent death of Mr Patel are under separate investigations, with Warwickshire Police and the Prison and Probation Ombudsman working to determine the facts.
Further updates will be provided as investigations progress.
