Death of Suspect in FBI Agent’s Killing, Shootings Ruled Suicide

A suspect in the shooting of two police officers died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head moments after he killed an FBI agent, the Maryland state medical examiner reported Tuesday.

Ralph McLean, 29, of Landover, who was wanted in the unprovoked shootings of two Washington officers in January, had been hit by at least seven shots fired by police and FBI agents, officials said. The fatal shot, though, was fired from the 9-millimeter Beretta stolen from police Cpl. John Novabilski on April 26, the night Novabilski was killed in Prince Georges County, Md., police said.

When he died, McLean was also carrying a MAC-11 semiautomatic assault pistol. It was that gun that killed Novabilski. McLean used the weapon to kill FBI agent William H. Christian Jr., 48, on Monday, police said.

Christian was one of 27 officers who staked out a school parking lot for at least three hours in a high-stakes attempt to snare McLean. But one last time, investigators said, McLean became the stalker, and someone wearing a badge became the victim.

Investigators said they are confident they can establish that McLean shot the two Washington police officers and the FBI agent. Some law enforcement sources also said they believe McLean will be found to be responsible for killing Novabilski, though Prince Georges police yesterday continued to hold Jeffery C. Gilbert, of Lanham, in connection with the officer’s slaying.

A Prince Georges County judge refused Tuesday to release or issue bond for Gilbert, saying he wanted to review a transcript of a preliminary hearing before deciding whether Gilbert’s attorneys can cross-examine witnesses. The judge said he was swayed by arguments that three witnesses had placed Gilbert at the scene of the Novabilski shooting.