3 sentenced in killing of former cop Kevin Nishita in Oakland

OAKLAND, Calif. - Three men convicted in the killing of Kevin Nishita were sentenced Tuesday and will spend decades in prison.

The defendants accepted plea deals in the death of Nishita back in February. Nishita, a retired police officer, was shot and killed in November 2021 while working as a security guard protecting a television news reporter in Oakland.

Plea deals and sentences

What we know:

Laron Gilbert, 31, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.

His accomplices, Shadihia Mitchell, 29, and Hershel Hale, 28, each pleaded no contest to robbery and were sentenced to 25 years in prison. All three defendants will be eligible for parole.

Prosecutors had said none of the defendants knew Nishita, they wanted the TV crew's equipment.

Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson previously said it was unusual for a defendant to plead guilty to first-degree murder.

"I don't remember a first-degree murder that somebody admitted to," she said. "We've had second-degree murder pleas, but a first-degree murder is something outside of the pale of normal."

Widow’s emotional statement

What they're saying:

Nishita’s widow, Virginia Nishita, spoke during the sentencing hearing, describing the day her husband was killed.

She said it was Thanksgiving Eve and that her husband had the day off, but received a call to go into work while they were preparing for the holiday meal.

He told her he would be home in two to three hours.

"In that moment, a simple ‘OK’ sealed a date I could never foresee," she said. "It was my last kiss and wave as he drove away. Everything vanished into a nightmare that has engulfed me to this day."

She recalled receiving the call that her husband had been shot.

"My body crumpled. I could barely stand," she said. "I was overcome with tears. I couldn’t move."

Nishita’s life and death

Dig deeper:

Nishita served as a police officer with the Oakland Housing Authority, as well as with the Hayward and San Jose police departments. He retired as a Colma police sergeant in 2018.

At the time of his death, he was working as a security guard for Star Protection, assigned to protect a television news crew covering a break-in in downtown Oakland.

He was shot by Gilbert during an attempted robbery of the crew’s equipment. Mitchell and Hale were Gilbert's accomplices.

Nishita is survived by his wife, children and several grandchildren.

Virginia Nishita said she plans to attend every future parole hearing.

"I’ll never be able to communicate with Kevin or hold his hand, stumbling into retirement without him, seeing unfulfilled bucket lists," she said. "It breaks me that a 30-year law enforcement vet will never get to do the things he looked forward to."

Gilbert will be eligible for parole around the age 50. Mitchell and Hale could be eligible in about 15 years.

"I hope when he turns 56 he remembers Kevin, whom he murdered when Kevin was 56," she said. "May the look that was on Kevin’s face when he was shot never wash away from your memory."

As for Mitchell and Hale, the woman had this message, "I pray at each parole hearing their request is denied every time," she added. "Just as Kevin cannot return, neither should they."

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