A 58-year-old man is accused of walking up to a woman’s car in a Starbucks drive-thru, ordering her to raise her hands and then shooting her to death before taking her wallet items, St. Louis police said.
The killing shook a busy stretch of South Grand Boulevard near Tower Grove Park and quickly turned into a wider robbery investigation. Prosecutors say the suspect, Keith Lamon Brown, was already wanted in other armed robberies in the same area, including another drive-thru holdup days earlier. Brown was arrested the next day and is now charged with first-degree murder and multiple robbery-related counts, authorities said.
Police said the shooting happened just after 10 a.m. Tue., Feb. 10, 2026, in the 2300 block of South Grand Avenue, where a Starbucks sits along a well-traveled commercial corridor. Officers arrived to find a 28-year-old woman inside a vehicle in the drive-thru lane with a gunshot wound and no response, police said. Emergency crews took her to a hospital, where she died. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Mitch McCoy said officers launched a large search that included a helicopter, a drone and a K-9 team. Capt. Angela Dickerson called the violence “horrific” as detectives asked the public for help identifying a suspect seen on surveillance images leaving on foot.
Authorities later identified the victim as Gabrielle “Sam” Linehan, a figure skating coach known in local rinks and in the synchronized skating community. Police and charging documents allege Brown approached Linehan’s vehicle while she was waiting in line, pointed a gun at her and demanded she raise her hands. Investigators say he then shot her and took her bank cards and driver’s license before fleeing. Police released images showing a man in a bright yellow-green reflective safety vest and a white hard hat, a look investigators said matched the suspect’s appearance in other recent robberies. Detectives described the suspect as armed and dangerous during the manhunt.
In court papers reviewed by local media, investigators outlined a string of robberies that began four days before Linehan was killed. On Thu., Feb. 6, police say a mother and daughter were in the drive-thru at a Jack in the Box at 2163 South Grand Boulevard when a man stepped up to their vehicle and pointed a firearm inside. The suspect is accused of taking the mother’s purse, which contained bank cards, and stealing cellphones belonging to the mother and daughter, according to the probable cause statement described in the case. Police also say the suspect took a 9 mm handgun during that encounter. Two days later, on Sat., Feb. 8, investigators say the same man robbed a Dollar General about 8 miles north, pointing a gun at a cashier and demanding money. Police said the suspect discharged his firearm during both earlier incidents, adding to the urgency once Linehan was fatally shot.
The Starbucks killing unfolded in a way that startled residents and nearby business owners. The store sits across from Tower Grove Park, a large public green space that draws walkers, runners and families, and the surrounding Tower Grove East area includes restaurants, shops and dense blocks of older homes. After the shooting, neighbors told local reporters they were shocked, with some describing the neighborhood as generally calm even if occasional gunfire is not unheard of in the city. Investigators said surveillance cameras captured the suspect running from the area on foot, and police circulated images and a description that emphasized the reflective vest, hard hat, dark pants and white shoes. Police said he fled east, and officers canvassed nearby streets while homicide detectives took over the case.
Brown was arrested Wed., Feb. 11, 2026, police said, and he was later charged with one count of first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree robbery, four counts of armed criminal action and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. Court records and police statements indicate the robbery charges reach beyond the Starbucks attack, reflecting the earlier reported incidents in the same corridor. During a court hearing on Fri., Feb. 13, Brown was denied bond, according to reporting that cited court proceedings. Investigators have said the robberies appeared connected by the suspect’s clothing and tactics, and police described Linehan’s killing as both a homicide and a robbery. Authorities have not publicly detailed what evidence, beyond surveillance and alleged stolen property, they plan to use at trial, and they have not released a motive other than the alleged theft.
Friends and colleagues described Linehan as a steady presence in the rink, someone who pushed skaters while also building confidence. She coached at the Metro Edge Figure Skating Club in the St. Louis area and had competed at high levels of synchronized skating, according to tributes shared after her death. The loss rippled through a sport that often feels like a close community, with skaters and parents posting memories of early-morning practices and long weekends at competitions. In statements shared by her club and those who knew her, Linehan was remembered for her patience and her intensity on the ice, as well as her ability to connect with younger athletes. Police have not said whether she had any prior connection to the suspect, and investigators have not suggested she was targeted for reasons beyond the alleged robbery.
Brown remained jailed as of Saturday, and the case is expected to move through the early court stages in the coming weeks. A court appearance was scheduled for Tue., March 11, according to reporting on the charges. Police have said the investigation remains active as detectives continue to gather evidence and track down witnesses tied to the earlier robberies as well as the Starbucks shooting.
Author note: Last updated Feb. 14, 2026.