Diana Zoga

Reward Increased in Hunt for Killers of a Garland Store Clerk

The reward for information leading police to the men who killed a store clerk in Garland Saturday night has been increased to $10,000. Garland police have also released additional surveillance video, showing part of a struggle during a robbery attempt that ended with the shooting death of the clerk.

The victim was 35-year-old Manish Panday, of Mesquite. He was married with a baby on the way and had worked at the Exxon station for several years, according to family and friends.

Surveillance cameras inside the Exxon gas station at the corner of Broadway Boulevard and East Oates Road in Garland captured the entire robbery attempt and murder.

Police released edited clips Monday that they believe will help bring in more tips to identify the people responsible for Panday's death.

The video shows two men walk in just before midnight on Saturday and immediately pull handguns. Initially, Panday complies with the men's demands and opens the register, but then a fight breaks out.

"It all happened so quickly in the video," said Garland Police Lt. Pedro Barineau. "You can see there's compliance from the clerk with the suspects' demands, the gun in his face, but all of a sudden it turns so quickly and now there's a struggle."

One of the men shoots and kills Panday, and both leave the store. Police say it's possible they left on foot or parked a vehicle off store property. Detectives do not currently have a vehicle description.

Police ask the public to watch the surveillance video and note some of the distinctive characteristics of the men, including a child's Spider-Man backpack carried by one of them. One also wears his hair in a bun at the crown of his head, while the rest of his head is shaved. Police add that it appeared one robber injured his leg during the crime and may be walking with a limp.

"The haircut: the bun on the top, shaved hair on the back. The way they walk, the clothes they wear, and now all of a sudden there's a limp. It's very possible that somebody is going to know these people and they should call the police," Barineau said.

The men also have slim builds, with one being approximately 6-feet tall, the other about 5-feet, 9-inches tall. Both men wore hoodies.

Garland police are looking into whether the same men are connected to any other prior robberies.

Garland police say Jerry Reynolds, host of the Car Pro Show on WBAP Radio, donated $5,000 to increase the reward for information that leads to the arrest of the men responsible in Panday's death to a total of $10,000.

Garland police confirm the store was targeted in previous robberies in September 2017 when two men, one of them armed, held up Panday. The men in that crime were not caught. Panday was also listed as the victim in a robbery at the same gas station in February 2016.

Friends plan to hold a vigil for Panday on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the store where he worked. Monday night, the store remained closed. Friends and customers continued to add flowers and notes to a memorial on the sidewalk outside the store.

If anyone has any information regarding the robbery and murder of Manish Panday, they are encouraged to contact the Garland Police Department at 972-485-4840.

Tips may also be submitted anonymously to Garland Crime Stoppers at 972-272-8477 (TIPS), or www.garlandcrimestoppers.org.

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