Alameda County DA announces new charges in Kevin Nishita murder case

Alex Baker
·2 min read

(KRON) — The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has announced additional charges in the 2021 killing of a KRON4 security guard. Three suspects — 29-year-old Laron Gilbert, 26-year-old Hershel Hale, and 27-year-old Shadihia Mitchell have been charge with murder in the killing of Kevin Nishita.

In addition to being charged with murder, all three men also face charges of attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

On Friday in a new complaint filed by Alameda County DA Pamela Price, all three men are now facing gang and gun enhancements for the first time since 2021.

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“We have an obligation to get it right, and these charges are consistent with the actual evidence in the case,” said DA Price. “The previous prosecutors who charged the case under my predecessor made mistakes about who was responsible for Mr. Nishita’s murder and failed to include some charges. At my direction, our team reevaluated the evidence, discovered those mistakes, and resubmitted the charges to ensure that the men whom we believe committed these crimes will be held fully accountable.”

The defendants were initially charged in 2021. Gilbert, however, evaded arrest for two years. He was recently taken into custody and extradited to Alameda County for trial. While Gilbert was at large, Hale and Mitchell were charged separately.

However, the DA specified that once Gilbert was returned to Alameda County, the complaint against the other two was dismissed to allow them to be re-charged and tried together.

“As a result of the extensive review and new charges brought under DA Price’s leadership, all three defendants will now be tried together,” the DA’s office said.

A conviction and sentencing on all counts could see Laron face a maximum sentence of 189 years to life, Hale 151 years to life, and Mitchell 78 years to life, according to the DA.

All three defendants are scheduled to return to court on March 8 to enter their pleas.

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