Lawrenceville, GA, June 9, 2026 — Vijay Kumar pleaded not guilty and asserted that he acted in self-defense during a bond hearing Monday in Gwinnett County Superior Court, where a judge ultimately denied his request for release as he awaits trial in a death penalty case stemming from the fatal shooting of his wife and three other members of his wife’s family.
The hearing offered the clearest public preview yet of the sharply contrasting narratives expected to emerge at trial.
Representing Kumar was defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who gained statewide attention for her role in several high-profile Georgia cases, including the defense of Mahendra Patel last year…