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Fugitive Pennsylvania Killer Caught Chillin' At Reopened Jacksonville Beach, Authorities Say

A fugitive who apparently didn’t know that the reopening of beaches in Jacksonville, Florida amid the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t include sitting around turned out to be wanted on homicide charges out of Pennsylvania, authorities said.

Mario Matthew Gatti

Mario Matthew Gatti

Photo Credit: Jacksonville Beach Police

A three-month manhunt ended Sunday with the arrest of Mario Matthew Gatti, 30.

Gatti went on the lam in January after detectives charged him with criminal homicide for shooting 33-year-old Michael Coover, Jr. several times, killing him, as the victim cooked dinner at a Westmoreland County home, authorities said.

The Jacksonville beach reopenings on Saturday disturbed those who said it was way too early to allow such a move and, worse, that it would attract hordes of people from far and wide.

Enter Gatti, clad in a pair of American flag surfer shorts.

Jacksonville officials reopened the beaches only for recreational use (swimming, surfing, walking, running, for example) and not sunbathing, sitting or laying around.

Jacksonville Beach police who were patrolling the area early Sunday to make sure people were following those rules said they found Gatti loitering near the dunes.

A background check turned up the homicide warrant, and that was all she wrote.

Gatti remained held in the Duval County Jail pending extradition proceedings.

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