An Oakland man wanted in connection with the 2023 killing of his wife was arrested at Sky River Casino, Elk Grove, authorities reported. The suspect, Nathaniel McCowan, 49, was taken into custody nearly two years after his wife, Laketha McCowan, was found shot on the side of an Oakland freeway. The arrest was made without incident on Thursday night, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
The CHP stated officers had been dispatched originally to a reported assault in progress during the early hours of February 26, 2023. This took place on the Edwards Avenue offramp from eastbound Interstate 580. When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Laketha McCowan with a gunshot wound. Sadly, she was pronounced dead after paramedics arrived, as noted by ABC10. Nathaniel McCowan was subsequently identified as the primary suspect in the case.
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office filed charges against McCowan, on the heels of an exhaustive nearly two-year probe, and an arrest warrant was issued by Alameda Superior Court on Thursday. Collaboration between Bay Area CHP detectives and local law enforcement enabled them to finally locate McCowan at the casino around 11:50 p.m. With the assistance of casino security, the arrest was coordinated and executed smoothly.
The arrest has been depicted as the culmination of persistent dedication by law enforcement. In a statement obtained by CBS News San Francisco, CHP Golden Gate Division Chief Don Goodbrand said, "I want to thank our incredible investigative team for their dedication and relentless pursuit of justice for the victim." Chief Goodbrand also underscored the importance of collaboration stating, "This arrest is a great example of the teamwork necessary between law enforcement and prosecutors to hold suspects to answer for their crimes."
Following his arrest, Nathaniel McCowan was transported and booked into Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County. It marks a significant step in the ongoing legal process surrounding this high-profile case.
