Tara Sinchuri’s relatives described the 52-year-old father of three as a generous community figure whose death has shaken neighbors.
FAIRFIELD, Ohio — Relatives and members of Fairfield’s immigrant community are mourning jewelry store owner Tara Sinchuri, a 52-year-old father of three who was killed during a robbery at his Dixie Highway business Tuesday as police continue searching for the person responsible.
Sinchuri owned Everest Jewels & Clothing, where Fairfield police found him dead after officers responded to reports of gunfire at about 12:54 p.m. Oct. 20. Police are investigating the case as a robbery and homicide. No arrest had been announced as of Thursday, and authorities had not released a suspect’s name or description.
Family members described Sinchuri as far more than a business owner. His older brother, Bal Sinchuri, told the Cincinnati Enquirer that Tara Sinchuri was kindhearted, active in the Hindu community and known for helping people in need. His nephew, Prakash Kalikot, separately described him to local television reporters as a leader who tried to guide and support people around him.
Bal Sinchuri said the family’s path to southwest Ohio stretched across several countries. He said the family was forced to leave Bhutan and spent years as refugees in Nepal before resettling in the United States. Tara Sinchuri moved to the country with his wife and children in 2012, first living in Buffalo, New York, and later operating a jewelry business in Kansas before the family moved to Fairfield.
His death came during Dashain, a major festival celebrated by Nepali families. Kalikot told FOX19 that the timing added to the family’s grief because relatives otherwise would have been marking a celebration associated with the triumph of good over evil. Authorities have given no indication that the festival or Sinchuri’s background had any connection to the robbery.
The shooting also unsettled workers in the surrounding commercial plaza. Andy Pfizenmayer, who works next to Everest Jewels, said he heard gunfire and told his employees to get down. He later said a bullet had passed through the wall and into his office. No one in his business was injured, but he described the daytime violence as frightening for employees who were nearby.
Other business owners in the area described the plaza as a diverse place serving customers from several communities. The killing brought relatives, neighbors and workers together around a business that had become part of the local Nepali community while also serving customers along the busy Dixie Highway corridor.
Police have not provided a detailed account of the robbery or said what, if anything, was taken from the store. Investigators have been collecting video from neighboring businesses as they work to identify the person responsible. Authorities also have not publicly said how many people may have taken part or whether a getaway vehicle has been identified.
The investigation has expanded beyond the immediate local response. The FBI has been in contact with Fairfield police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has offered assistance. Police Chief Steve Maynard said Thursday that he could not release further information about the federal involvement.
Sinchuri is survived by his wife, Puspa Sinchuri, their three children and other relatives, according to his brother. Funeral arrangements had not been finalized in the immediate aftermath of the killing as the family waited for investigators to complete work connected to the case.
Fairfield police continued investigating the robbery and homicide Thursday, with no arrest publicly announced. Authorities are seeking information from anyone who may have witnessed the incident or have evidence that could help investigators identify the person responsible.
Author note: Last updated October 22, 2026.