Former chief of staff to ex-Maryland governor fatally shot after FBI manhunt

A one-time chief of staff for former governor of Maryland Larry Hogan died on Friday after being shot when FBI agents confronted him in a manhunt launched when he failed to show up for trial on corruption charges, his lawyer said.

Attorney Joseph Murtha said the FBI confirmed Roy McGrath’s death to him. He said it was not immediately clear if McGrath’s wounds were self-inflicted or occurred during a shootout with agents.

William Brennan, a lawyer for McGrath’s wife, Laura Bruner, also confirmed the death and said he was “very distraught.”

According to a previous email from FBI Supervisory Special Agent Shayne Buchwald in Maryland, McGrath was injured during an “agent-involved shooting” about 6:30 pm in a commercial area in the southwest suburbs of Knoxville, Tenn. Buchwald said McGrath was taken to the hospital but was not in serious condition.

Other details, including how McGrath was injured and what caused it, were not immediately released. The shooting is under investigation.

“The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving agents or members of our task force very seriously,” said Buchwald, who declined to confirm whether McGrath had died.

Accused of fraud, embezzlement

McGrath, 53, was declared a wanted fugitive after his disappearance, and the FBI said he was considered an international flight risk.

In a statement, Hogan said he and his wife, Yumi, are “deeply saddened by this tragic situation. Our prayers go out to Mr. McGrath’s family and loved ones.”

Murtha called the death a “tragic end to an uncertain past three weeks,” and said his client maintains his innocence.

After McGrath failed to appear in Baltimore federal court on March 13, Murtha said he believed McGrath, who had moved to Naples, Fla., planned to fly to Maryland the night before. Instead of starting jury selection, the judge issued an arrest warrant and dismissed prospective jurors.

McGrath was indicted in 2021 over allegations that he earned $233,648, the equivalent of a year’s salary as head of the Maryland Environmental Services, by falsely telling the agency’s board that the governor had approved it. He is also accused of fraud and embezzlement in connection with a $170,000 charge.

McGrath pleaded not guilty.

If convicted of the federal charges, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years on each of the four counts of wire fraud, plus a maximum of 10 years on each of the two counts of embezzling funds from an organization that receives more than $10,000 in federal benefits. .

McGrath resigned after just 11 weeks as Hogan’s chief of staff in 2020 after the payments became public.