Detective left ‘no stone unturned’ in deadly 5 Corner Lotto shooting

Police Sgt. Anthony Locey didn’t leave a stone unturned in his efforts to identify five suspects in a deadly shooting at the 5 Corner Lotto on Linwood Boulevard.

Four men and a woman have been charged with murder and other charges in connection with the Nov. 6 shooting at 1231 Linwood Blvd. For Locey’s efforts in leading a seven-member team in the Homicide Unit, he was named Officer of the Month for February at the Columbus Police Department.

“It is always an honor to be recognized, but I don’t ask for it,” Locey said in a statement. “I work all the cases I am assigned the same and put the same energy into each case. This particular case was unique with limited physical evidence. We worked as a group on it, and they are very much as deserving as I am. It was a team effort.”

At the scene, police found Vatsel Patel dead of gunshot and his father wounded. The father was taken to Midtown Medical Center where he was treated and later released.

Locey, the lead investigator, learned that three men wearing masks and gloves attempted to rob the convenience store before they fled in a dark SUV. During a three-month period, Locey led the investigative steps of the Homicide Unit which took detectives on trips to Dothan, Ala., Lumpkin, Ga., and Dixon, Ky.

Information was collected by the team and funneled to Locey. Five suspects were identified and warrants were issued. He coordinated with the department’s Fugitive Task Force, the Houston County Alabama Sheriff’s Office, Dixon County Kentucky Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshal’s Service to locate and apprehend the suspects. All five suspects are now in custody.

Police Lt. Greg Touchberry of the Bureau of Investigative Services said Locey’s keen investigative nature and his willingness to leave no stone unturned allowed him to identify, plan for and arrest key suspects in the case.

“Sgt. Locey has once again shown that he is a highly valuable asset to the Columbus Police Department, the city of Columbus as well as all of its law-abiding citizens,” Touchberry said in a release.

Locey, 45, has served the department for 21 years and doesn’t plan to stop working anytime soon. He hopes to continue at least nine more years. “I will sit down with my wife, and we will discuss the future after I reach my 30 years of service,” he said.

This story was originally published March 25, 2017 at 3:47 PM with the headline "Detective left ‘no stone unturned’ in deadly 5 Corner Lotto shooting."