Roy McGrath, ex-chief of staff to former Md. Gov. Larry Hogan, dies after manhunt: lawyer

The FBI has launched an investigation into the death of Roy McGrath, a former chief of staff to ex-Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan who died from a gunshot wound Monday night, some three weeks after he failed to appear in court on wire fraud and embezzlement charges.

“The FBI has confirmed that Roy succumbed to the injuries inflicted earlier this evening,” his attorney, Joseph Murtha, said in a statement to CBS News. “It is a tragic ending to the past three weeks of uncertainty. It is important for me to stress that Roy never wavered about his innocence.”

The FBI located McGrath in Knoxville on Monday, according to an email from FBI Supervisory Special Agent Shayne Buchwald. McGrath was subsequently wounded during “an agent-involved shooting” around 6:30 p.m., but authorities declined to provide further details.

It’s still unclear whether McGrath’s fatal wound was self-inflicted or whether it occurred in an exchange of gunfire with FBI agents, Murtha noted. What occurred in the moments leading up to the deadly violence also remained unclear.

“The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously,” Buchwald said.

McGrath, 53, served as chief of staff to former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan after holding positions like the governor’s deputy chief of staff in 2015 and head of the Maryland Environmental Service in December 2016.

He was declared a wanted fugitive after he neglected to show up at Baltimore’s federal courthouse for a scheduled appearance on March 13.

According to court documents, McGrath was facing charges including wire fraud, theft in programs receiving federal funds, and falsification of records in federal investigations in connection with an indictment that says he defrauded the Maryland Environmental Service, the state agency where he worked before he became Hogan’s chief of staff.

He was accused of illegally recording top officials, Hogan among them, and stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from state government. That includes more than $233,000 from the Maryland Environmental Service he claimed was an approved severance package, which he allegedly secured by “falsely telling them that the Governor was aware of and approved the payment.”

McGrath resigned from Hogan’s office in August 2020 amid inquiries about the severance.

Authorities further alleged McGrath falsified time sheets and directed service funds to a museum where he was a member and to pay for tuition benefits.

In a statement, Hogan said he and his wife, Yumi, “are deeply saddened by this tragic situation. We are praying for Mr. McGrath’s family and loved ones.”

With News Wire Services