Gilroy software engineer charged after crime spree with drunk driving, guns, and booby-trapped home
For release on March 6, 2024
CONTACT:
Britlyn McCormick
Deputy District Attorney
South County
(408) 201-0541
Gilroy software engineer charged after crime spree with drunk driving, guns, and booby-trapped home
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has charged a Gilroy man with a crime spree that started with a drunk driving crash that led police to a collection of illegal weapons, and finally to his home that may have been rigged as an explosive booby trap.
Markus Beck’s home, which was heavily saturated with propane gas from the kitchen stove, did not explode. No one was hurt in the crash, the arrest, or at the home.
The 46-year-old German national faces a series of weapons charges. The investigation is ongoing. The charges may be amended by the next court date, a plea hearing, on April 10 at the South County Courthouse in Morgan Hill. If convicted, he faces prison time. Beck is being held without bail.
“I am so thankful that the Gilroy police stopped this incredibly dangerous behavior before anyone was badly hurt or killed,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “We will hold this defendant accountable for the damage and dangerous behavior. The Gilroy community is shaken, and we are there to help.”
The DA’s Office community prosecutors are working closely with city and school officials. In addition, the Office’s Mariposas Resiliency Center is providing resources to anyone affected by the crimes, including tips on Talking to Children After a Tragedy. If you need further support, please contact them at (408) 209-8356 or [email protected].
At 4:24 a.m., on Feb. 28, Beck crashed his BMW into a car parked on Mantelli Road, then sideswiped another car. A witness led police to the car, where the defendant was sitting with a loaded gun at his feet. Beck was arrested. A search of the trunk revealed a loaded AR15-style assault rifle.
Police obtained a gun violence restraining order to seize his other weapons. But upon arriving at his home, officers were nauseated by the smell of gas. The oven unlit burners were on high. Firefighters turned the gas off and investigators found numerous cell phones strewn around the home, in a possible attempt to remotely ignite a fire. The chimneys and fireplace were plugged.
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