A prominent figure skating coach and silver medalist from the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships was shot and killed last week at a Starbucks drive‑thru in St. Louis, reportedly 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 10:00 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 11:00 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.
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. Court records state he had “absconded while being on parole.”
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 both cases.
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 Thursday night, 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 Metro Edge Skating Club asked the public to respect the privacy of Linehan’s family and friends as they mourn, stating that “Coach Sam will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and always a part of this community.”
The investigation is ongoing as the St. Louis community grieves the death of a gifted skater, devoted coach, and valued colleague whose life was cut short by violence during what should have been an ordinary morning coffee run.