A prominent figure skating coach and silver medalist at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships was shot and killed at a Starbucks drive‑thru in St. Louis last week, allegedly by a man believed to be involved in a string of armed robberies across the city.
Gabrielle “Sam” Linehan, 28, was waiting in her vehicle at the South City Starbucks in the Tower Grove East neighborhood shortly after 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, when 58-year-old Keith Lamon Brown allegedly approached her wearing a reflective vest and helmet, threatened her with a firearm, and then opened fire.
According to authorities, surveillance video captures Brown walking up to Linehan’s car, telling her to put her hands up, and then shooting her. Linehan was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Brown is accused of stealing several bank cards along with her driver’s license before fleeing the scene.
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 officially charged with first-degree murder, several counts of first-degree robbery and armed criminal action, and unlawful firearm possession. He is being held without bail 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 again convicted of first-degree robbery in 1996 and given a 30-year sentence. Court records state he had “absconded while being on parole.”
Before 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 a Jack in the Box drive‑thru on South Grand Boulevard, pointed a gun at the driver, and stole a purse, a 9mm handgun, and the driver’s and her daughter’s phones. Two days later, he allegedly went into a Dollar General on North Grand, aimed a gun at a cashier, and took cash. Investigators say shots were fired during both robberies.
Following Brown’s arrest, detectives recovered stolen property from both the Jack in the Box and Starbucks incidents, as well as the reflective vest, hard hat, and suspected narcotics.
Linehan’s passing has devastated the St. Louis skating community. She coached for the Metro Edge Skating Club’s St. Louis Synergy team near Webster Groves and had been part of the organization for many years as both an athlete and a mentor. In 2014, she helped her synchronized skating team earn a silver medal at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. Her biography also notes she earned 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 commitment to supporting her family and offering resources to skaters during this tragic period.
Ramona Peterson, a veteran 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 on Thursday night, grieving their coach while trying to maintain their routines.
Outside the rink, Linehan was well known within the St. Louis dining community. She served as general manager at Sado, a highly regarded sushi restaurant on the Hill, and had previously worked with the Yellowbelly team in the Central West End, where she began her career at age 21.
The owner of Yellowbelly spoke about the deep loss, noting that Linehan spent more than five years with the restaurant and was instrumental in helping the team earn numerous awards and honors. Sado owner Nicholas Bognar also credited her leadership as essential to the restaurant’s achievements.
The Metro Edge Skating Club requested privacy for Linehan’s loved ones as they mourn, stating that “Coach Sam will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and always a part of this community.”
The investigation continues as the St. Louis community grieves the loss of a talented athlete, committed coach, and respected colleague whose life was cut short by violence during what should have been a routine morning coffee stop.