A prominent figure skating coach and silver medalist from the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships was shot and killed Feb. 10 at a Starbucks drive‑thru in St. Louis, by a man linked to a string of armed robberies across the city.
Gabrielle “Sam” Linehan, 28, was waiting in her car at the South City Starbucks in the Tower Grove East neighborhood shortly after 10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, when authorities say 58-year-old Keith Lamon Brown approached wearing a reflective vest and helmet, threatened her with a gun, and then opened fire.
Investigators report that surveillance video shows Brown walking up to Linehan’s car, ordering her to raise her hands, and then shooting. Linehan was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Police say Brown took bank cards and her driver’s license before running off.
Later that night, a SWAT team served a search warrant at Brown’s home and arrested him around 11 p.m. Officers said he was armed at the time. By Wednesday, he had been formally charged with first-degree murder, several counts of first-degree robbery, armed criminal action, and unlawful firearm possession. He is currently held without bond at the St. Louis City Justice Center.
At a Feb. 14 court hearing, Brown appeared still dressed in the street clothes he was arrested in. His attorney entered a not-guilty plea and requested GPS monitoring with strict house arrest, but prosecutors opposed any bond modification, citing Brown’s two prior armed robbery convictions and noting that all recent crimes were committed while he was actively absconding from parole. The first robbery victim, a mother who had been held at gunpoint with her young daughter at the Jack in the Box, submitted a victim impact statement, telling the court: “You traumatized my daughter. You destroyed lives for nothing.” Linehan’s father also addressed the judge, saying a bright spirit had been ripped away. The judge denied any bond change, ruling Brown a danger to the community. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 11.
Brown’s criminal history spans nearly four decades. In 1986, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to robbery, burglary, and armed criminal action. He was later convicted of first-degree robbery in 1996 and received a 30-year sentence.
The Missouri Parole Board confirmed that Brown was released from prison on July 24, 2020, and was officially declared a parole absconder on June 2, 2023, with an arrest warrant entered into a national database. Prosecutors stated at a Feb. 14 bond hearing that all three recent crimes, including Linehan’s murder, were committed while Brown was actively evading supervision. Had he not absconded, he would have been released from parole as recently as Jan. 21, 2025.
Before the fatal shooting, Brown was already wanted in connection with two armed robberies earlier that week. On February 6, police say he approached a vehicle in a Jack in the Box drive‑thru on South Grand Boulevard, pointed a gun at the driver, and stole a purse, a 9mm gun, and the phones of both the driver and her daughter. Two days later, he allegedly entered a Dollar General on North Grand, threatened a cashier with a firearm, and took cash. Officers say shots were fired in at least one of the earlier incidents.
After Brown’s arrest, detectives recovered items stolen in both the Jack in the Box and Starbucks incidents, along with the reflective gear and suspected narcotics.
Linehan’s death has deeply shaken the St. Louis skating community. She coached the Metro Edge Skating Club’s St. Louis Synergy team near Webster Groves and had long been involved with the organization as both an athlete and mentor. She earned a silver medal at the 2014 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships and also achieved a gold medal in Skating Skills.
The Metro Edge Skating Club paid tribute to her, describing her as “a cherished skater, coach, mentor, and friend whose impact reached far beyond the ice.” The club said its focus is on supporting her family and ensuring resources are available to skaters during this difficult period.
Ramona Peterson, a longtime coach who trained Linehan, reflected on her exceptional ability. “She was by far one of the most naturally talented kids I had coached,” Peterson told KSDK. “But beyond that, she was incredibly dedicated.”
Skaters at the Webster Groves Ice Rink returned to practice on the night of Feb. 12, grieving their coach while attempting to continue their training.
Outside the skating world, Linehan was also admired in the St. Louis restaurant scene. She worked as general manager at Sado, a well-regarded sushi restaurant on the Hill, and previously worked with the Yellowbelly team in the Central West End, where she started at age 21.
The owner of Yellowbelly expressed the depth of the loss, noting Linehan’s more than five years with the restaurant and her key role in earning numerous distinctions. Sado owner Nicholas Bognar similarly praised her leadership as essential to the restaurant’s achievements.
The club added, “Coach Sam will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and always a part of this community.”
The investigation remains ongoing.