REVEALED: Ex-Maryland governor's chief of staff 'shot himself' during gun battle with FBI after agents tracked him 800 miles from his Florida home to Tennessee through his Cadillac and 'multiple cellphones': 53-year-old accused of $270,000 wire fraud

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The former chief of staff for ex-Maryland Governor Larry Hogan 'shot himself' during a standoff with the FBI – after they tracked him 800 miles from his Florida home.

Roy McGrath, 53, left his $1million home in Naples, Florida, on March 13 and told his wife Laura he had been planning to go to Maryland for his court hearing.

But he vanished, with the FBI tracking him to Tennessee yesterday by following a white Cadillac he owned and monitoring multiple cell phones he used on the run.

He is accused of stealing more than $270,000 in state funds over more than a year while working as the Executive Director of the Maryland Environmental Services and was indicted in 2021.

The FBI raided his home on March 15, two days after his hearing was supposed to go ahead in Baltimore, Maryland.

Roy McGrath, 53, had his $1million home in Naples, Florida, raided on March 15, two days after he failed to show up to a court hearing

He is accused of stealing more than $270,000 in state funds over more than a year while working as the Executive Director of the Maryland Environmental Services (MES) and was indicted in 2021

Sources close to the investigation told the Baltimore Banner the FBI worked with US Marshals to track down McGrath before he was shot during the confrontation.

It is unclear if he died from the self-inflicted gunshot wound, or as a result of being shot at by law enforcement.

It comes as a mystery author is having their identity questioned after publishing a 'tell all book' denying the allegations against ex-Governor Larry Hogan's former chief of staff days before he was killed in a standoff with the FBI.

McGrath quit the role with Hogan in 2020 and is accused of telling MES that the former governor had approved the payments – something which Hogan denies.

The former aide has denied all of the allegations through his lawyer, with many invested in the case now questioning if he is behind two books published on Amazon about the scandal.

'Betrayed' by author Ryan Cooper, has two volumes which are currently available – published on March 22 and March 30, after McGrath went missing.

While it is unclear who the author is, they promise a third volume of the book to be published and acknowledge that McGrath had vanished in the second version.

The book describes the former governor as 'erratic,' and 'incessantly pedantic and mercurial' and blames him for the charges against McGrath.

Federal investigators claim that McGrath failed to claim annual leave while on two holidays with Bruner, a European cruise and a visit to Naples, Florida

McGrath quit the role with Hogan in 2020 and is accused of telling MES that the former governor had approved the payments – something which Hogan (pictured) denies

It is unclear if McGrath was shot  dead by a federal officer or from a self-inflicted injury 

He was shot dead by the FBI on Monday night, after spending three weeks on the run – during which he was declared a fugitive.

The FBI said that they considered him an international flight risk, and in a statement about the shooting said: 'The FBI reviews every shooting incident involving an FBI special agent. The review will carefully examine the circumstances of the shooting, and collect all relevant evidence from the scene.

'As the review remains ongoing, I cannot further comment at this time, only to comment Mr. McGrath [the subject] was transported to the hospital last evening and succumbed to his injuries.'

His lawyer Joseph Murtha said that the loss was an 'absolute tragedy', before adding that he 'never wavered about his innocence'.

Murtha added: 'I'm incredibly saddened by the loss of Roy's life and the terrible tragedy that has unfolded over the past three weeks.

'Roy was dedicated to the citizens of Maryland and he never wavered in his belief that he was innocent.'

William Brennan, an attorney for McGrath's wife, Laura Bruner, also confirmed the death and said she was 'absolutely distraught.'

Two 'tell-all' books were published by author Ryan Cooper during the time he was missing - with a third also being promised

The book claims that expenses submitted were often not checked and were wrongly approved or submitted by McGraths assistant – adding that the MES 'owed Roy money' because he didn't always claim his expenditures

Bruner, who he met while working for Hogan, has been unavailable for comment on the matter.

Prosecutors planned to use messages between Bruner and her father while on trips with McGrath to prove the embezzlement. 

The documents have since been sealed, with McGrath marrying Bruner in what some see as a calculated attempt to prevent her being forced to testify against him with spousal privilege.

William Brennan, an attorney for McGrath's wife, Laura Bruner, also confirmed the death and said she was 'absolutely distraught'

Federal investigators claim that McGrath failed to claim annual leave while on two holidays with Bruner, a European cruise and a visit to Naples, Florida.

The book claims that expenses submitted were often not checked and were wrongly approved or submitted by McGraths assistant – adding that the MES 'owed Roy money' because he didn't always claim his expenditures.

It also states that his two predecessors also received a severance payment of a year's salary – while claiming that Hogan had approved the payment along with everything else.

However the author of the book, who appears to reference being given information by McGrath, makes several unproven claims that Hogan 'betrayed' his former chief of staff by promising him the severance pay before backtracking.

It also included a picture of a note from Hogan to McGrath – which has been signed by the governor – which has led readers to believe the author is either McGrath himself or someone very close to him with access to his belongings and documents.

The Department of Justice claims that McGrath defrauded $271,378.46 in total from the MES – which included tuition reimbursement of $14,475 to attend the Harvard Kennedy School Executive program after his employment at MES ended.

Last week two tell-all books were self-published through Amazon by a mysterious author who claimed to have the 'true' story on McGrath's time working for Hogan

It also included a picture of a note from Hogan to McGrath – which has been signed by the governor – which has led readers to believe the author is either McGrath himself or someone very close to him with access to his belongings and documents

As part of the charges, he is accused of using MES funds to pay a personal pledge of $15,00 to the Academy Art Museum, and failing to take annual leaves the two occasions in 2019 – totaling $8,256.24.

During those excursions, McGrath's 2021 indictment alleges, the ex-Hogan staffer spent funds designated for the state of Maryland on his own 'personal expenses.' 

The book states: 'The answer peels back the onion of what really motivated the government collision, orchestrated by political empresario Hogan. To stick it to Roy.

'Hogan didn't want to fess up to his role and take the political heat, and prosecutors cobbled together a case based on a few disgruntled people.'

It even went so far to claim that Assistant US Attorney General Joyce MacDonald 'really hates Roy' and he was being used as a scapegoat.

Hogan, who served as Maryland's governor from 2015 to 2023, had considered running for the 2024 Republican nomination for president as a critic of Donald Trump. 

But Hogan announced last month before McGrath went missing that he would not run.

During those excursions, McGrath's 2021 indictment alleges, the ex-Hogan staffer spent funds designated for the state of Maryland on his own 'personal expenses'

 As part of the charges, he is accused of using MES funds to pay a personal pledge of $15,00 to the Academy Art Museum, and failing to take annual leaves the two occasions in 2019 – totaling $8,256.24

His resignation came after the payments became public and was slapped with a federal wire fraud charge

Hogan said in a statement he and his wife, Yumi Hogan, were saddened by the 'tragic situation,' the Baltimore Sun reported.

'We are praying for Mr. McGrath's family and loved ones,' Hogan said.

He did not respond to a request for comment by DailyMail.com regarding the passing of McGrath or the contents of the book but previously denied that they were credible. 

McGrath reportedly said goodbye to his wife Laura and told her he intended to get on a plane to Maryland to attend the court hearing.

But he failed to appear at Baltimore's' federal courthouse, with a judge issuing an arrest warrant and dismissed prospective jurors.

McGrath pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him, and resigned just 11 weeks in the job as Hogan's chief of staff in 2020.

Hogan, who served as Maryland's governor from 2015 to 2023, had considered running for the 2024 Republican nomination for president as a critic of Donald Trump

Feds swarmed this Naples home that McGrath shares with his wife Wednesday, less than 48 hours after he did not turn up to court. The couple moved to $610,000 home in 2020, after the scandal surfaced and McGrath was released on bond 

Hogan said in a statement he and his wife, Yumi Hogan, were saddened by the 'tragic situation,' the Baltimore Sun reported. 'We are praying for Mr. McGrath's family and loved ones,' Hogan said

His resignation came after the payments became public and was slapped with a federal wire fraud charge.

That spending came to light after a sprawling report from The Baltimore Sun in the summer of 2020, that unmasked how McGrath had used his position as both director of MES and the governor's chief of staff to 'personally enrich' himself with the fraudulent payments.

If convicted of the federal charges, he would have faced a maximum sentence of 20 years for each of four counts of wire fraud, plus a maximum of 10 years for each of two counts of embezzling funds from an organization receiving more than $10,000 in federal benefits.