ALLENTOWN, Pa. – An Allentown man convicted of murder in a 2022 killing and intimidating a witness from his jail cell has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Steven M. Rosa, 32, was convicted by a jury on May 14 of First-Degree Criminal Homicide and Carrying a Firearm without a License, according to a news release from District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan.

The DA’s office says in a separate case tried together with the homicide, Rosa was also convicted of felony counts of Witness Intimidation and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility. That case arose out of Rosa’s efforts to intimidate a person who had information about the homicide. Authorities say while in Lehigh County Jail, Rosa used a computer tablet in order to convince the witness not to testify.

Rosa was sentenced Tuesday in a hearing before Judge Robert Steinberg to serve a life sentence without parole and an additional 10 to 20 years in prison for the Intimidation and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility, according to Holihan.

The release says Rosa is also serving a state prison sentence following a conviction for a robbery which occurred after the murder.

Rosa was convicted in the murder of Tywon Deleva Abner, 33, who was shot and killed July 28, 2022 in the 500 block of West Allen Street in Allentown, police say.

The DA says that night around 11 p.m., Allentown Police reported to a shooting and found Abner with a gunshot wound. Police and paramedics administered life-saving efforts, but Abner died at a local hospital.

Abner died from a gunshot wound to the chest and his death was ruled a homicide by Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio.

The case was investigated by Lehigh County’s 12th Investigating Grand Jury as well as Lehigh County District Attorney’s Homicide Task Force Detective Kevin Mriss and Allentown Police Detective Miguel Villa (retired). The Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office Regional Intelligence and Investigative Center also assisted in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorneys Bethany S. Zampogna and Gregory R. Englert.