A prominent figure skating coach and silver medalist from the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships was fatally shot at a Starbucks drive‑thru in St. Louis last week, allegedly by a man tied to a string of armed robberies across the city.
Gabrielle “Sam” Linehan, 28, was in her vehicle at the South City Starbucks in Tower Grove East shortly after 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, when 58-year-old Keith Lamon Brown reportedly approached wearing a reflective vest and helmet, threatened her with a firearm, and opened fire.
Investigators say surveillance video shows Brown walking up to Linehan’s car, telling her to put her hands up, and then shooting. Linehan was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Brown is accused of taking multiple bank cards and her driver’s license before fleeing.
That evening, a SWAT team served a search warrant at Brown’s home and arrested him around 11:00 p.m. Police said he was armed at the time. On Wednesday, he was charged with first-degree murder, several counts of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is being held without bond at the St. Louis City Justice Center.
Brown’s criminal history spans nearly four decades. In November 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 indicate he had “absconded while being on parole.”
Prior to the fatal shooting, Brown was already a suspect in two armed robberies earlier that week. On February 6, police say he approached a vehicle in the Jack in the Box drive‑thru on South Grand Boulevard, pointed a gun at the driver, and stole a purse, a 9mm handgun, and both the driver’s and her daughter’s phones. Two days later, he allegedly robbed a Dollar General on North Grand, pointing a gun at a cashier and taking cash. Officers say he fired shots in both cases.
After Brown’s arrest, investigators recovered stolen property from the Jack in the Box and Starbucks robberies, along with the reflective vest, hard hat, and suspected narcotics.
Linehan’s death has devastated the St. Louis skating community. She coached the Metro Edge Skating Club’s St. Louis Synergy team near Webster Groves and had been involved for years as both a skater and mentor. In 2014, she helped her synchronized skating team earn a silver medal at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. Her biography also lists 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.” They emphasized their focus on supporting her family and offering resources for skaters during this tragic time.
Ramona Peterson, a longtime coach who trained Linehan, praised her extraordinary skill. “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 on Thursday night, grieving their coach while trying to continue practicing.
Outside the rink, Linehan was also respected in the St. Louis culinary scene. She served as general manager at Sado, the acclaimed sushi restaurant on the Hill, and previously worked with the Yellowbelly team in the Central West End, a position she began at age 21.
The owner of Yellowbelly spoke about the magnitude of the loss, noting that Linehan spent more than five years with the restaurant and played a major role in earning numerous honors. Sado owner Nicholas Bognar also credited her leadership as essential to the restaurant’s accomplishments.
The Metro Edge Skating Club requested privacy for Linehan’s loved ones, stating that “Coach Sam will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and always a part of this community.”
The investigation continues as St. Louis mourns the death of a talented athlete, devoted coach, and respected colleague whose life was ended by violence during what should have been a routine morning coffee stop.
