Left inset: William Moore (Colbert County Sheriff’s Office). Right inset: Pravin Patel (Morrison Funeral Homes and Crematory). Background: The Hillcrest Motel in Colbert County, Ala., where William Moore shot and killed owner Pravin Patel (WHNT/YouTube).
An Alabama man has been handed a life sentence for the murder of a motel owner, a crime that stemmed from a conflict over a room reservation. The victim’s daughter expressed her profound grief during the sentencing, accusing the man of destroying their family’s foundation, various sources report.
Addressing 34-year-old William Moore in court on Thursday, Pravin Patel’s daughter emotionally stated, “You turned our lives into a permanent crime scene,” as reported by local NBC affiliate WAFF.
Moore was convicted of murder in Colbert County for fatally shooting Patel three times in the face and chest after a dispute over checking into a room at the Hillcrest Motel, which Patel owned, according to WAFF. The confrontation escalated when Moore drew a handgun after being refused a room.
Witnesses, including a barbershop employee across the street, recounted the rapid succession of gunshots, describing the harrowing scene to WAFF as, “It was pretty consecutive, pow, pow, pow,” following an argument where Patel had asked Moore to leave the premises.
Surveillance footage presented during the trial vividly captured the incident and the events leading up to it. Moore shot Patel before fleeing the scene, reports state.
Colbert County Assistant District Attorney Summer George commented on the evidence, telling WAFF, “We had clear video of the actual incident in and of itself.” She expressed her sympathy for the Patel family, noting the emotional burden they endured, especially having to relive the tragedy through the footage. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Patel family. What they’ve had to live through this week, having to watch the video, not only the physical but the emotional toll that took on them is tough,” she added.
Moore claimed during his sentencing that he suffers from PTSD after serving in the military, and that he has a dark past, WAFF reports. He was allegedly homeless and lived in the woods before the shooting.
“We will serve a life sentence of grief because of your choice,” Patel’s daughter concluded.
