Santa Cruz Man Suspected In Fatal Stabbing Of His Mom Nabbed In Missouri

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – A man suspected of fatally stabbing his mother, whose body was found in downtown Santa Cruz last month, was arrested in Kansas City, Missouri, police said today.

Kasey Gaskell, 43, of Santa Cruz, was arrested in connection with the death of Shannon Magner, 66, of Aptos, who was found at Gaskell's apartment in the 800 block of Front Street just before 5 a.m. on Sept. 26,
police said.

Detectives believe Magner was stabbed in the neck and died on Sept. 21. They obtained an arrest warrant for her son in addition to a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, according to police.

Santa Cruz investigators were tracking Gaskell, whose last known location was in Kansas City, Kansas, on Sept. 23 and believed he was heading to the Green Bay-Greenleaf area of Wisconsin, according to police.

On Thursday, Kansas City police received a tip of Gaskell's whereabouts from someone who saw his picture on a news broadcast and found him at a homeless shelter, where he was arrested without incident, police
said.

Santa Cruz police learned of the arrest shortly after midnight today, police said.

Officers worked with the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office and FBI in their search for the suspect, according to police.

Previous coverage:

• Man Wanted In Connection With Stabbing Death Of His Mother In Santa Cruz
• Police Investigating Stabbing Death Of Aptos Woman, 66

• Also see: Update On Watsonville Man Arrested, Accused Of Impersonating Peace Officer

--Bay City News/Image via SCPD