Trooper Saves Lyft Driver
New York Trooper's Suspicion Saves Lyft Driver From Passenger Wanted for Murder
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A New York State trooper may have saved a Lyft driver's life — and helped crack a murder case — with a routine speeding stop in 2020. Larry Keech was driving a passenger who called himself "Omar" from a Walmart in Watertown, New York, to Massena, near the Canadian border, when Trooper Connor Sutton pulled them over on State Route 37. The passenger turned out to be Ayub Guled, a fugitive wanted for shooting a man in the face in Miami just weeks earlier, according to WWNY 7 News.
Guled was traveling with multiple handguns, high-capacity magazines, and methamphetamine hidden in his luggage. He was convicted of first-degree murder in July 2026 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Keech believes he would have been Guled's next victim if Sutton had simply written a speeding ticket and driven away, according to Fox Carolina.
A Speeding Stop Unravels a Fugitive's Escape Plan
Guled had killed a man in Miami in September 2020 by shooting him in the face at close range. He then fled north, booking a Lyft under the fake name "Omar." His destination, Massena, sits right on the U.S.–Canada border. Guled, originally from Toronto, was almost certainly trying to slip back into Canada undetected, according to Live5 News.
Investigator Sutton grew suspicious during the stop. He brought in his K-9 partner to sniff the car. The dog alerted on the trunk. Inside Guled's luggage, Sutton found several handguns, high-capacity magazines, and meth. Fingerprint checks revealed "Omar" was actually a wanted murderer. "This case was a great win for local law enforcement," Sutton told regional media, according to 12 On Your Side.
Keech Says He Feared a One-Way Trip to the Woods
Keech told reporters he had no idea anything was wrong at first. "He just seemed like a normal kid," Keech said of Guled. "He really did." But as the ride went on, Guled asked to be dropped off in an increasingly remote area. That's when Keech's fear set in, according to WLFI.
"I thought quite possibly he could take me there and shoot me, take my vehicle and proceed on his way," Keech said. He believes Guled planned to ditch him in a secluded spot and then cross the border through the nearby Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation — a stretch of land that straddles the U.S.–Canada line, according to KALB.
A Google Search Connected New York Arrest to Florida Murder
After Guled's arrest in New York in October 2020, local news briefly reported on the weapons bust. Miami-Dade detectives hunting for the murder suspect later searched Guled's name online and found the New York arrest report. Sutton recalled one detective telling him: "They had done a Google search and saw that the arrest had popped up," according to WSAW.
Florida authorities then had Guled extradited to Miami on February 4, 2021. He sat in jail without bail until his trial began in April 2026. Both Keech and Sutton traveled to Florida to testify for the prosecution. Nearly six years after the murder, Guled was convicted and sentenced to life in July 2026, according to KCTV5.
Local Prosecution Unlikely Despite Weapons Charges Still Pending
Despite the guns and drugs found in his car in 2020, Guled has not yet faced trial for those charges in New York. St. Lawrence County District Attorney Gary Pasqua said he is undecided on whether to prosecute. With Guled already serving life in Florida, a second trial in New York could cost taxpayers money without changing the outcome, according to WECT.
The case has also raised questions about rideshare safety. Guled bypassed Lyft's system by using a fake name and no verified ID. Drivers like Keech must pass background checks, but passengers face no such screening. Keech and Sutton spoke publicly about the incident on July 30, 2026, hoping to shine light on both issues, according to Fox 5 Vegas.
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