Roy McGrath dies in confrontation with FBI

April 4 (UPI) -- Fugitive Roy McGrath has died from injuries sustained in a confrontation with FBI agents who have been hunting the ex-aide to former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan for weeks after he failed to appear at his federal corruption trial in Baltimore.

McGrath's lawyer, Joseph Murtha, said his client died Monday in Knoxville, Tenn., The Washington Post reported.

"The loss of Roy's life is an absolute tragedy, and I think it's important for me to say that Roy never wavered about his innocence," Murtha said.

The FBI said in a statement that McGrath died in an agent-involved shooting that occurred at about 6:30 p.m.

"During the arrest, the subject, Roy McGrath, sustained injury and was transported to the hospital," the FBI said, adding that video of the shooting was being reviewed.

The FBI said it "takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously. In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under investigation by the FBI's Inspection Division."

The FBI had been hunting the one-time chief of staff to Hogan since an arrest warrant was issued for his detainment on March 12 after he failed to appear that morning in a U.S. district courtroom in Baltimore to face corruption charges.

A $20,000 reward had been offered for information that would lead to his arrest.

McGrath, 53, was indicted in October of 2021 on four counts of wire fraud and two counts of embezzling funds in connection to his time at the state-owned Maryland Environmental Service.

McGrath resigned from the MES in May of 2020 to becomes Hogan's chief of staff. Prosecutors state McGrath illegally obtained a $233,000 severance package, which is equal to one year's salary, by falsely telling the MES board of directors that it had been approved by the governor.

He was also accused of causing MES funds to be paid as his pledge to a museum where he was a member of the board of directors.

A superseding indictment returned by a grand jury in June added a falsification of records charge on accusations that he knowingly falsified a document after news of his severance package broke. Prosecutors said he created a false memorandum to the governor of Maryland that created the illusion that Hogan had approved his large severance package on becoming his chief of staff.

McGrath had pleaded not guilty to all charges.