On Tuesday the Delaware Attorney General’s Office announced that a Pennsylvania man has been formally charged with 41 felonies, including the murders of two people and the attempted murder, assaults, and/or robbery of four other victims, among other offenses.
Prosecutors have alleged that Keith Gibson, 39, went on a brutal crime spree in Delaware, killing two victims and hurting four others over the course of roughly three weeks. Gibson is also a suspect in multiple murders committed in Pennsylvania earlier this year.
“This indictment lays out one of the most vicious, staggering crime sprees I’ve seen in my career,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “It is even more disturbing to think, based on what investigators have revealed in Pennsylvania, that this may just be the tip of the iceberg. We have assigned some of the DOJ’s most experienced prosecutors to this case and we will ensure that this man faces justice for the senseless carnage that he has caused. In the meantime, my heart is with the victims, especially the families of Leslie Basilio and Ronald Wright. My thanks go out to our law enforcement partners, including the indispensable efforts of the Elsmere and Wilmington Police Departments.”
“The charges in this indictment reflect the brutal nature of this individual’s crimes, as well as the significant risk he posed to public safety in our community and throughout our region,” said Wilmington Police Chief Robert J. Tracy. “I am proud of the efforts of our officers responding to his latest armed robbery, who were able to take him into custody and ensure he is held responsible for his senseless, ruthless crime spree and the harm he brought about so many individuals and families.”
“This indictment was reached because of great effort by all of the law enforcement partners to investigate all the multijurisdictional cases together and ultimately bring a killer to justice,” said Elsmere Police Chief Laura Giles. “We can only hope it will bring some relief and closure to the families and loved ones of his victims.”
Gibson, who was previously convicted of Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, was released from prison on December 20, 2020 after a 13-year sentence. Gibson violated the terms of his probation and was briefly held before being released again on April 27, 2021.
On May 15, 2021, Gibson is alleged to have shot and killed Leslie Ruiz-Basilio, 28, during a robbery at a Metro PCS store on Kirkwood Highway in Elsmere and to have stolen her vehicle. On June 5, Gibson allegedly shot and killed Ronald Wright, 42, during a street robbery, and assaulted another victim.
Over the following three days, Gibson is alleged to have robbed and/or assaulted another three victims, including attempted murder against one, along with a host of weapons and drug offenses. Out of respect for their privacy, the DOJ does not name living victims of crimes. Gibson was arrested on June 8 in connection with the robbery of a Wilmington Rite-Aid and is currently in custody awaiting trial.
Gibson’s indictment was delivered by a New Castle County grand jury and secured by Deputy Attorneys General John Downs, Matt Frawley, and Sam Kenney with support from Senior Paralegal Stacey Coupe and Social Workers Donna Lindsey and Marilyn Torres. The investigation was led by the Wilmington Police Department and the Elsmere Police Department, with support from law enforcement partners in the New Castle County Police Department, the Newport Police Department, the City of New Castle Police Department, the Newark Police Department, the Philadelphia Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the ATF, in addition to support from T-Mobile Asset Protection and the Ruiz-Basilio family.
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Delaware Department of Correction has outlined Keith Gibson’s time in their system.
Officials said Thursday that Keith Gibson is on Level 3 probation related to a 2010 conviction for Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm During the Commissioner of a Felony for which he served more than a decade in prison. Gibson is an active probationer.
According to the agency’s website, Level 3 probation is as follows:
Intensive supervision entails at least the equivalent of one (1) hour of supervision per day and no more than fifty-six (56) hours of supervision per week. The minimum of one (1) hour of supervision per day is achieved through direct offender contact, collateral contact, verification of each offender’s activities (e.g., residence, employment, training and school), and performance with court-ordered treatment and Community Service. The emphasis is on supervision through increased community contacts.
When he was sentenced in 2010 Gibson was ordered to serve 6 months in custody at a Level IV Community Corrections Center ( Level IV – Work Release Centers, Home Confinement (electronic monitoring), Residential Drug Treatment, Violation of Probation Centers) immediately following his prison term. He was released from prison to Level IV Community Corrections custody in June 2020.
During his time at Level IV a Violation of Probation (VOP) was filed against him for fighting with other offenders. He was convicted of that VOP and was sentenced to an additional 6 months in prison followed by 18 months of probation.
He completed his prison term for that VOP and began his probation term in December 2020. In February 2021 his Probation Officer filed a VOP against him for leaving the State of Delaware without permission and a capias (arrest warrant) was issued.
Gibson was returned to Delaware and taken into DOC custody in late March. He was found guilty of that Violation of Probation in late April and sentenced to 31 days in prison (time served), followed by 18 months of probation.
Earlier this week Wilmington Police arrested and charged Gibson following an armed robbery, police said Tuesday.
Officials said on June 8 at approximately 8:20 a.m., police responded to the 800 block of West 4th Street in reference to an armed robbery in progress. Responding officers conducted an area canvass and located 39-year-old Keith Gibson in the 800 block of West 5th Street.
Gibson was taken into custody without incident, and was found to be wearing a ballistic vest and was in possession of a loaded firearm as well as ammunition, a knife, and narcotics.
Gibson has been charged with the following offenses:
Robbery (First Degree)
Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Prohibited – Four Counts
Conspiracy (Second Degree)
Wearing Body Armor During the Commission of a Felony
Possession of a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Deliver – Two Counts
Gibson was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 11 and was committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $305,000 cash-only bail.
Delaware law enforcement sources tell First State Update that Gibson is a person of interest in the shooting death of Christine Lugo. Lugo is the Philadelphia Dunkin Donuts manager that was murdered during a robbery this past weekend.
Gibson is also a person of interest in the Elsmere cellphone store murder of Leslie Ruiz-Basilio and the February death of his mother. Police are also looking at Gibson in several murders and at least one other robbery, according to sources.