A New Kensington man wanted in connection with an Arnold homicide was arrested Sunday morning in Duval County, Fla., after police officers spotted him sitting on a beach.
Jacksonville Beach police officers saw Mario Matthew Gatti, 30, lounging by some sand dunes in the 500 block of Beach Proper South around 8:20 a.m., according to Sgt. Tonya Tator, police department spokeswoman. When they made contact with him, they recognized him as a warrant suspect out of Pennsylvania.
“I’m relieved that we have another bad guy in jail,” Arnold Mayor Joe Bia said.
Duval County beaches reopened for restricted hours Friday after shutting down because of the coronavirus pandemic. They are to be used only for exercise.
Officers were patrolling the area to make sure people were following the rules. Gatti wasn’t, police said.
“We have some rules in place that it’s open for active exercise: running, jogging, walking a dog. No blankets, beach chairs, sitting or lounging is allowed,” Tator said. “He was found up closer toward our dunes lounging.”
Arnold police identified Gatti as a suspect in connection with the shooting death of Michael Coover Jr., 33, of Brackenridge in an Arnold apartment in January. A warrant issued for Gatti’s arrest charges him with homicide, burglary, reckless endangerment, terroristic threats and a firearms violation.
Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said his office will begin the process to extradite Gatti from Florida on Monday.
Gatti was arrested without incident on a fugitive from justice charge and booked into the Duval County Jail, Tator said.
He was additionally charged by Jacksonville Beach police with giving false information to law enforcement in a felony or missing person investigation and drug possession.
Tator said Gatti tried to give police a fake name and had drugs on him that required a prescription. She couldn’t say what those drugs were.
