Update: Suspect in Pleasanton Home Depot shooting arraigned on murder, other charges
PLEASANTON – The woman suspected in the killing of a security guard at a Pleasanton Home Depot during an attempted shoplifting was arraigned on murder and other charges Friday morning.
Pleasanton Police said Friday Benicia Knapps was released from a hospital Thursday evening and booked into Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. On Friday at 8:30 a.m., Knapps was arraigned on charges of murder, robbery, child endangerment, and a felon being in possession of a firearm.
Police said the 32-year-old Knapps was attempting to steal an electric tool or charger Wednesday afternoon and leave through the store's loading dock when she was confronted by store security guard Blake Mohs. She resisted and shot Mohs, according to police. He later died at Eden Medical Center.
Knapps then ran to a getaway vehicle driven by David Guillory, 31, that also had Knapps's two-year-old child inside.
About 15 minutes later, Knapps and Guillory were located and detained by Alameda County sheriff's deputies in a residential area of Oakland, and the child was released to relatives.
Authorities said Knapps had injured herself in the back of the deputy patrol car, choking herself with the seatbelt in the back seat until she lost consciousness. She was placed on a mental health hold.
Pleasanton Police Lt. Erik Silacci said that Guillory was booked into Santa Rita Jail on Wednesday. It was unclear when Guillory would be arraigned.
Silacci said that Mohs was someone they worked with regularly and was well-respected by local police.
"Blake was a Tri-Valley resident. He was a son, he was a brother, and he was set to get married this summer," Silacci said."Unfortunately, Blake's life was cut short by a theft that turned into a robbery and ended with his murder."
"He had some aspirations of being in law enforcement so that's undoubtedly why he ended up in loss prevention," said Silacci.
Anyone who has information about the case is asked to contact the Pleasanton Police Department at (925) 931-5100.
