Officials announce new charges in killing of TV news guard Kevin Nishita in Oakland

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The Alameda County District Attorney's Office gave an update on charges in the case of the fatal shooting of retired officer and TV news guard Kevin Nishita in Oakland and robbing two other victims in 2021.

On Friday, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced new charges in the murder of Nishita.

Laron Marques Gilbert, 29, is charged with murder, attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. He faces 189 years to life if convicted.

RELATED: 3rd suspect in Oakland killing of TV news guard extradited to Bay Area from Missouri, police say

Hershel Hale, 26, is charged with murder, attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. He faces 151 years to life if convicted.

Shadihia Mitchell, 27, is charged with murder, attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. He faces 78 years to life if convicted.

All three defendants will face gun enhancements in their charges and will be charged together. Hale and Mitchell were formerly charged separately while Gilbert was being pursued.

They are expected to return to court on March 8.

RELATED: 3rd suspect in murder of Bay Area TV news guard arrested in Missouri

After almost two years on the run, Laron Marques Gilbert, the third suspect in the case, Gilbert was arrested by U.S. Marshalls on January 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri, was extradited back to the Bay Area at the end of January. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Nishita was shot on November 24, 2021, while guarding a TV news crew. He died several days later.

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"I just want to say thank you from Kevin, our family, and myself. Thank you to Oakland Police Department, the U.S. Marshalls, and all of the law enforcement agencies that were involved with this capture," says Virginia Nishita, the widow of Mr. Nishita. She spoke at a press conference with the Oakland Police Department the day Gilbert was booked into Santa Rita.

But the Alameda County Public Defenders Office, which represents Mitchell, says there is evidence contrary to what Mitchell is being charged.

In a previous statement to ABC7 News, Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods writes: "The evidence clearly shows that someone else fired the fatal shots. Police arrested that man less than one month after this event, but failed to book him on the murder warrant in this case. He's now been on the run for two years. Investigators, including Oakland police Det. Phong Tran, then tried to cover up their incompetence by skewing the case to make it seem like our client was the shooter."

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