When Patricia “Trish” McKay and her husband, Douglas, walked out of Fashion Island last week, the New Zealand tourists had just finished a bit of shopping. Doug McKay, an Auckland business executive, was sporting an expensive watch, and Trish was carrying bags of designer merchandise purchased from the upscale mall. Those items attracted the attention of an armed robbery crew whose leader had been previously charged with a similar holdup and whose efforts ended in a fatal confrontation , authorities say.
The crime As the McKays waited for their ride on the afternoon of July 2, a white Toyota Camry pulled up. Two masked men jumped out, and authorities say one put a gun to the businessman’s head, demanding his watch and forcing him to the ground. The other dragged Trish McKay into the street, in front of the Camry, while trying to wrest the shopping bags away from her.
By then, the Camry and its getaway driver were moving forward. Doug McKay jumped in front of the vehicle to try to save his wife. But authorities say the driver — identified by police as Leroy Ernest Joseph McCrary — ran over the woman, dragging her body 65 feet across the parking lot.
A good Samaritan, Beau Bayless, chased after the fleeing car. But police say his efforts were cut short when one of the robbers fired three shots at him. Eyewitnesses immediately called 911, and within minutes, police had begun a pursuit of the Camry as it raced north toward Los Angeles County, reaching speeds of up to 11.
