A well‑known 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 on Feb. 10, 2026, allegedly by a man authorities believe was connected to a series of armed robberies throughout the city.
Gabrielle “Sam” Linehan, 28, was waiting in her car at the South City Starbucks in the Tower Grove East area just after 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10, when 58‑year‑old Keith Lamon Brown reportedly approached wearing a reflective vest and helmet, threatened her with a gun, and then fired multiple shots.
Investigators say surveillance footage shows Brown walking up to Linehan’s vehicle, ordering her to raise her hands, and then shooting her. Linehan was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Brown is accused of taking several bank cards and her driver’s license before escaping.
That night, a SWAT team executed a search warrant at Brown’s residence and arrested him around 11 p.m. Police stated he was armed during the arrest. On Feb. 11, he was formally charged with first‑degree murder, multiple counts of first‑degree robbery and armed criminal action, and unlawful firearm possession. He is currently being held without bond at the St. Louis City Justice Center.
Brown’s criminal background stretches back nearly 40 years. In November 1986, he received a 15‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to robbery, burglary, and armed criminal action. He was again convicted of first‑degree robbery in 1996 and sentenced to 30 years. Court records indicate he had “absconded while being on parole.”
Prior to the deadly shooting, Brown was already suspected in two armed robberies earlier that same week. On Feb. 6, police report he approached a vehicle in a Jack in the Box drive‑thru on South Grand Boulevard, pointed a firearm at the driver, and took a purse, a 9mm handgun, and both the driver’s and her daughter’s phones. Two days later, he allegedly entered a Dollar General on North Grand, threatened a cashier with a gun, and stole money. Investigators say shots were fired in both incidents.
After Brown’s arrest, detectives recovered stolen items from both the Jack in the Box and Starbucks robberies, along with the reflective vest, hard hat, and suspected drugs.
Linehan’s death has deeply shaken the St. Louis skating community. She coached with the Metro Edge Skating Club’s St. Louis Synergy team near Webster Groves and had long been involved with the organization as both a skater and coach. In 2014, she helped her synchronized skating team secure 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 honored her memory, calling her “a cherished skater, coach, mentor, and friend whose impact reached far beyond the ice.” They expressed their dedication to supporting her family and providing resources to skaters during this time of grief.
Ramona Peterson, a longtime coach who trained Linehan, reflected on her remarkable talent. “She was by far one of the most naturally talented kids I had coached,” Peterson told KSDK. “But more importantly, she was incredibly dedicated.”
Skaters at the Webster Groves Ice Rink gathered again on the night of Feb. 12, mourning their coach while continuing their routines.
Outside the rink, Linehan was also a familiar face in the St. Louis restaurant community. She worked as general manager at Sado, a highly acclaimed sushi restaurant on the Hill, and previously worked with the Yellowbelly team in the Central West End, where she began her hospitality career at 21.
The owner of Yellowbelly spoke about the profound loss, noting that Linehan spent over five years with the restaurant and played a key role in its many awards and accomplishments. Sado owner Nicholas Bognar likewise credited her leadership with driving the restaurant’s success.
The Metro Edge Skating Club asked for privacy for Linehan’s family and friends as they grieve, stating that “Coach Sam will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and always a part of this community.”
The investigation remains ongoing as the St. Louis community mourns the loss of a gifted athlete, dedicated coach, and respected restaurant leader whose life was cut short by violence during what should have been a routine morning coffee run.