An Allentown man has been sentenced to serve up to 20 years in state prison in connection with a 2023 homicide.
John Albert Garner, 27, of Allentown, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter at a hearing Thursday before Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony.
Garner was charged in connection with the killing of Alexander Mason Price, 32, in July 2023.
Authorities said that on the morning of July 9, 2023, Allentown police responded to 314 N. 16th St. to assist paramedics with a male who was reported to be in cardiac arrest. The man who called 911 said he had not heard from Price for several days and had gone to his residence to check on him, when he found Price dead.
An investigation revealed that Garner had attacked Price and caused his fatal injuries; his death was caused by blunt force trauma and ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office.
Garner fled from Allentown after the killing and was arrested in October 2023 in Scranton by Allentown police and Lehigh County Homicide Task Force detectives. He was taken into custody with assistance from Scranton police and the U.S. Marshals Eastern PA Violent Offenders Task Force, according to a news release.
This case was investigated by Allentown police detectives and Lehigh County detectives, and was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Sarah K. Heimbach.