A woman on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list was arrested after a traffic stop in High Springs on Wednesday morning, ending a federal search that had stretched back years. KaShawn Nicola Roper, 50, was booked into the Alachua County Jail around midday.
High Springs police said officers stopped a vehicle within the city around 10:21 a.m. after getting information about a person believed to be tied to an active federal fugitive investigation. Roper was taken into custody without incident.
Roper had previously lived in Kansas City, Missouri, where she was wanted in connection with a shooting after an altercation on Aug. 23, 2020. Investigators say she fired multiple shots at a car, striking two female victims and killing one of them.
She was charged in the 16th Judicial Circuit in Jackson County, Missouri, with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. A state warrant was issued for her arrest, and on July 1, 2021, a federal warrant followed after she was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
The FBI added Roper to its 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list on April 14 and offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to her arrest. FBI Jacksonville said it received information about her whereabouts and pursued leads with help from the Gainesville Police Department, while the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office assisted High Springs police during the stop.
Authorities said the case shows how a local traffic stop can turn into a federal arrest when agencies share information quickly and act on it together. High Springs police Chief Antoine Sheppard said the department valued the collaboration with federal partners and praised officers for their professionalism and vigilance during what began as a routine stop. Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott said investigators developed critical intelligence that led to the capture of an alleged violent fugitive now behind bars. Gainesville Police Chief Melesa Johnson said the arrest reflected the power of partnership and a public willing to speak up. The FBI has said the charges are accusations, not evidence of guilt.