Case: 24CR49102                                                                                           September 23, 2026

Portland, OR- Kamari Nathaniel Gates, now 20-years old was sentenced to 20-years in prison on September 22, 2026 for taking the life of Latoya Hill, his neighbor, and for trying to kill Ms. Hill’s partner, Danielle McGruder.

Gates pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree and Attempted Murder in the First Degree.

Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Madeline Loeb prosecuted the case for the state. After the sentencing she said:

“My heart goes out to all of the people who knew and loved Latoya Hill. Nothing that we do in this courthouse can undo this act of senseless violence or heal the harm it caused, but I hope that this resolution brings some closure.”

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office would like to thank Portland Police Detective Michael Schmerber for outstanding work on this case.

The DA’s Office would also like to highlight the work done by MCDA Victim Advocates who give care and comfort to victims connected to crimes including this one.

THE FACTS:

The victims and the defendant lived a few houses apart from each other in outer Southeast Portland. On the morning of September 17, 2024, a neighbor’s ring camera captured Kamari Gates, who was 18 at the time, running up to Latoya Hill and Danielle McGruder’s home with an assault rifle and quickly firing multiple rounds at Latoya Hill while she was putting her recycling in a container in front of her home. Kamari Gates continued running past the driveway and fired more bullets into the home. Ms. McGruder was inside the home and reported hearing the gunshots and looking out to see Kamari Gates fire multiple times at her. Fortunately, those bullets missed her, but one of the bullets fired at Latoya Hill hit her in the head and ended her life.

###MCDA###