A 28-year-old skating coach was murdered in a St. Louis Starbucks drive-thru—after an alleged repeat violent offender, who had previously received decades-long sentences, was back on the street.
Story Snapshot
- Sam Linehan, a beloved figure skating coach and restaurant general manager, was fatally shot during a drive-thru robbery on Feb. 10, 2026.
- Police arrested Keith Lamon Brown, 58, the next day and say he’s linked to two other armed robberies in the days leading up to the killing.
- Investigators say surveillance footage shows the same suspect wearing a yellow safety vest and construction helmet across multiple incidents.
- Brown’s reported criminal history includes violent convictions going back decades, raising renewed questions about parole and repeat-offender enforcement.
Drive-Thru Robbery Turns Fatal in Broad Daylight
St. Louis police say Sam Linehan, 28, was shot and killed around 10 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2026, while sitting in her vehicle in a Starbucks drive-thru in the Tower Grove area. Authorities allege a man approached her car, demanded she raise her hands, then shot her and stole bank cards and identification before fleeing. Reports also state a firearm may have been taken from her purse, though that detail remains an allegation.
Another Career Criminal Killed a Beloved Figure Skating Coach in St. Louis
https://t.co/RVotbFERJE— Townhall Updates (@TownhallUpdates) February 12, 2026
Linehan’s death hit two communities at once: the skating world and the local restaurant scene. She coached at Metro Edge Figure Skating Club and the St. Louis Synergy Synchro Skating Teams, and she also worked as a restaurant general manager. Statements shared publicly describe her as a mentor known for discipline, resilience, and personal investment in young skaters—exactly the kind of steady influence parents hope adults will provide around their kids.
Police Link Suspect to a Short Robbery Spree
Investigators say the suspect, Keith Lamon Brown, was tied to a string of armed robberies leading up to the killing. Reports describe a Feb. 6 robbery of a Dollar General cashier at gunpoint where a shot was fired, followed by a Feb. 8 armed robbery targeting a woman in a Jack in the Box drive-thru. In that earlier drive-thru case, police say the robber stole a purse and other items, including a 9mm handgun, and also fired his weapon.
St. Louis police arrested Brown in the early hours of Feb. 11 after a SWAT raid, according to reporting that cites law enforcement briefings. Authorities say they recovered items believed to be taken from Linehan and from earlier victims, and they described surveillance video that shows the suspect wearing the same distinctive outfit—specifically a yellow safety vest and construction helmet—during multiple incidents. That visual consistency matters because it can help jurors understand how investigators connected the cases.
Charges Filed, Bond Denied, and a Community Left Asking Why
As of Feb. 12, Brown was reported to be held without bond while facing first-degree murder and robbery-related charges, including multiple counts of armed criminal action and unlawful firearm possession. The court process will determine guilt, but the charging details alone show prosecutors believe this was more than a one-off tragedy. When an everyday errand ends in a shooting, it doesn’t just rattle a neighborhood—it changes how families think about basic routines.
Repeat-Offender History Renews Parole and Public-Safety Debate
Multiple reports point to a criminal record stretching roughly 40 years, including convictions in the 1980s and 1990s for robbery and armed criminal action. One cited sentence from the mid-1990s was reportedly 30 years, with an end date that would have been in 2026, yet Brown was free during the February 2026 incidents. The public frustration here is straightforward: long sentences are meant to incapacitate violent offenders, not function as paperwork that can be undone without clear accountability.
What’s Known, What’s Unclear, and What Comes Next
The basic facts across the available reporting are consistent: the victim, location, alleged robbery sequence, and the quick arrest. What remains unclear from the provided sources is exactly how and when Brown was released, and what specific decisions—parole, supervision practices, or enforcement gaps—allowed a suspect with a long record to be in position to commit more violent crimes. Those missing details will likely be central as the case moves through court and as Missouri officials face renewed scrutiny over repeat-offender controls.
For conservatives who have watched “soft-on-crime” theories spread for years, this case is a reminder that public safety is not an abstraction. Law and order protects ordinary people—parents, workers, and young mentors like Linehan—who aren’t looking for trouble and can’t plan their lives around the idea that a drive-thru might become a crime scene. The justice system now has the suspect in custody; the larger question is whether policymakers will fix the failures that made this outcome possible.
