Murder of Kumar family by Virenda and Pravin Govin examined on Fatal family Feuds

Fatal Family Feuds is investigating the horrific murders of four members of the Kumar family by Virendra “Victor” Govin and his brother, Pravin “Peter” Govin, at the Kumar home in Hollywood Hills, California.

The Govin brothers were aided by a third accomplice, Carlos Amador, who helped the murderous brothers kill 42-year-old Gita Kumar, her 18-year-old son Paras, 16-year-old daughter Tulsi, and her 62-year-old mother-in-law, Sitaben Patel.

On May 4, 2002, Gita’s husband, Harish Kumar, returned home to find his family had been murdered. The four victims had been bound, gagged, and burned to death.

The murders came about over a business dispute involving Virendra Govin and Gita Kumar. The two entrepreneurs owned neighboring rival hotels in the Los Angeles area and became embroiled in an argument over a shared back alley.

The two Govin brothers had seemingly decided to force Gita Kumar into signing over control of the alleyway. However, somewhere along the line, they turned to murder instead.

The case was cracked when a witness, Angelberto Novoa, came forward after hearing about the murders and fire at the Kumar home. Novoa told the police he had previously been approached by Virendra and Pravin Govin, who asked him to go to the Kumar home to intimidate some people into signing papers. He had declined the offer.

The evidence against Govin brothers and Carlos Amador for Kumar murders mounted up

Another witness told the cops that Amador had told them he’d gone to a house with two of his Indian friends to get some documents signed, but “things got out of hand.” Amador allegedly told the witness that someone’s face had been seen, and one of [Govin brothers] ordered that everyone in the house be killed and the house burned.

And the police found a third witness, who admitted he’d been asked to act as an alibi for Amador. Eventually, Amador was picked up by the LAPD, and he agreed to testify against the Govin brothers.

Amador told the cops of a terrifying scene where the Kumar victims were tied up, beaten, and threatened before Virenda ordered they be killed. The killers doused the house with flammable liquid.

Pravin and Virendra Govin sentenced to death, Carlos Amador given life for Kumar killings

Pravin and Virendra Govin were both found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.

Carlos Amador pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree murder and was sentenced to four concurrent terms of 15 years to life.

In November 2018, it was reported that Virendra Govin was found dead in his cell at San Quentin State Prison. He was suspected of committing suicide. His brother, Pravin, remains on death row in San Quentin.

Fatal Family Feuds airs Saturdays at 9/8c on Oxygen.