Three Arrested And Charged With Kidnapping After Gas Station Manager is Found

Anderson County deputies have arrested a woman, a man and a teenager in connection to the disappearance of 53-year-old Chandrakant “C.J.” Patel, manager of the Exxon gas station on Clemson Boulevard.

Kyndra Leann Howell, 22, Jeremiah Christian Johnson, 29, and Zachary Demond Gantt, 17, are charged with kidnapping.

Last Sunday, Patel told clerk Andrew Williams at the Exxon station that he’d be back in a couple of hours, but never returned, according to investigators.

The break in the case came when the owner of a home Howell rents spotted Patel on surveillance video taken at the home.

News 4 has learned that the video shows Howell and Patel going into the home on Jerry Drive.

Several others are seen going in and out of the house, but Patel is never seen leaving the home.

The video also shows a car pull up behind the home.

Investigators said Monday that they learned Patel was held against his will for a short time in the residence in the Homeland Park Community.

Howell, Johnson, Gantt are being held at the Anderson County Detention Center pending a bond hearing.