NAPLES, Fla. — A Special Agent with the FBI told a 911 operator in Collier County they were concerned about the welfare of a federal fugitive.
Roy McGrath, the ex-chief of staff for former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, hasn’t been seen since he skipped the first day of his federal corruption trial on March 13th.
Fox 4 Investigates obtained a phone call made from an FBI Special Agent to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
Public records show McGrath bought a home in Naples in October of 2021.
“He doesn’t have any kind of violent criminal past, but we are concerned he may have committed suicide, at this point,” the FBI agent told a 911 dispatcher.
“Has he ever stated anything like that?” the dispatcher asked the agent.
“No, no. But he has, like, zero criminal history.”
McGrath is charged with embezzling hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars. The U.S. Marshal’s Service has since launched a nationwide manhunt.
Soon after the call from the FBI, Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a welfare check on McGrath’s home.
He wasn’t there.
Two days later, federal agents in tactical gear raided McGrath’s home.
Video captured by the local news website, Naples News Now, shows agents pull McGrath’s wife out of the house.
“A bunch of cars, maybe eight or nine, automatic weapons drawn,” Robert Desiano, founder of Naples News Now, said describing the scene.
Once again, McGrath wasn’t home.
Adding to the mystery of his disappearance, this week a ‘tell-all’ book about McGrath shot up the bestseller lists.
“BETRAYED: The true story of Roy McGrath” is a 52-page book full of accusations about Maryland Politics.
The book’s author, Ryan C. Cooper, claims to have worked with McGrath, but some are speculating to his real identity.
Even McGrath’s former boss, former Gov. Larry Hogan, suggested as much when his spokesperson sent out a statement saying, “In this day and age, anyone can publish a ‘book’ and repeat bizarre and baseless accusations, including fugitives from justice who are facing multiple counts of fraud.”
