Fugitive, connected to TV news security guard's shooting death in Oakland, arrested in Kansas City
OAKLAND, Calif. - U.S. Marshals service made another arrest in connection to the shooting death of a former police officer, who later worked as a television news station security guard.
Federal law enforcement officials said Laron Marques Gilbert, the fugitive and alleged getaway driver in this case, was taken into custody in Kansas City, MO.
Gilbert has been on the run since the 2021 fatal shooting of Kevin Nishita in downtown Oakland.
In a statement released on Thursday, US. Marshals Service said investigators in Oakland suspected Gilbert may be in Kansas City and requested their assistance to locate and arrest the fugitive.
With help from the Marshals Service, Kansas City Missouri Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol, Gilbert was taken into custody on Jan. 17. Officials said he tried to flee across a highway after he was spotted and then approached in a parking lot.
Nishita had worked for several Bay Area police departments. He was killed the day before Thanksgiving while guarding a TV news reporter. As a private security guard, he also worked to protect KTVU news crews, though he was not working for this station when he was killed.
Earlier this month, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, who is facing being recalled from her elected position, dropped a special circumstance and gun enhancement against one of the three suspects charged with Nishita's murder.
Prosecutors charged Gilbert with murder in this case in December 2021. Shadihia Mitchell and Hershel Kiante Hale were charged with murder in spring 2022. Late last year, an attorney for Mitchell said his client was not the gunman and that it was Gilbert who pulled the trigger. Mitchell and Hale were arrested in December 2021.
Nishita's widow, Virginia, has spoken out against the D.A.'s decision and said she wanted justice for her husband.
All three suspects have prior offenses of varying degrees. At one point, Gilbert was arrested on an unrelated parole violation, but was released. At the time, authorities had said there was not enough information to charge Gilbert with Nishita's death. Law enforcement officials said Gilbert was the registered owner of a vehicle seen fleeing the scene of Nishita's shooting and that this is captured on security video.
Police said all three suspects are connected to a San Francisco street gang. We previously reported Mitchell and Hale are facing a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
It is not clear if anyone collected the $40,000 reward for tips leading to Gilbert's capture. The Marshals Service said Gilbert is at the Jackson County Detention Center where he awaits state extradition back to California.
KTVU's Henry Lee contributed to this story.
Editor's note: This story has been revised to clarify the arrest took place in Kansas City, MO, not the state of Kansas. A correction has been made regarding when Gilbert was charged.
Fugitive Laron Gilbert, wanted in connection with the shooting death of Kevin Nishita, was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Kansas.