A former attorney for a man now wanted for murder appealed Wednesday for suspect Norris Collins Jr. to turn himself in to Johnstown police.
Ebensburg attorney John Kasaback said he had been in phone contact with the 19-year-old Collins on Monday, a day after the fatal shooting of a city man at the Solomon Homes housing project.
“Obviously, I’m encouraging him to surrender. It’s a safety issue. I don’t want him getting hurt in a forced arrest, or anybody else getting hurt,” he said.
Collins remained at large late Wednesday. He is wanted on first-degree murder and related charges in the slaying of 27-year-old Cortez Jordan shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday.
Kasaback said he had talked with Collins “a couple of times on Monday. I don’t know if there have been communications problems since then or what.”
City police continue to follow leads as they look for Collins, Capt. Andrew Frear said.
“It’s hard to say for sure whether he’s still in the area,” Frear said.
“We’ve had some leads he’s in town, and some that he’s out of town. We’re getting help from other agencies. Everybody is cooperating in trying to locate him.”
The Cambria County Drug Task Force, FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service are assisting.
Collins is accused of shooting Jordan after an argument outside the housing project. Jordan reportedly had been called there by a relative who had complained to partygoers about loud noises there. Collins had been at the party, police said.
Kasaback represented Collins when the teen was certified to stand trial as an adult in two 2006 drug cases. Collins entered guilty pleas in June 2007 but fled before sentencing.
Eventually, he was sentenced to 11 to 23 months in the county jail on a guilty plea to selling crack cocaine. He received an additional five years’ probation on pleas to fleeing from police and heroin possession.
After Collins was paroled, Judge Gerard Long found he had violated the terms of his release and ordered April 9 that Collins be placed on electronic monitoring. The monitoring apparently had not begun when the fatal shooting took place.
A funeral service for Jordan will be held at 11 a.m. today at Works of Deliverance Fellowship Church, 550 Park Ave.
Local News
Attorney urges fugitive murder suspect to surrender
- Local News
-
-
Proposed bill would expand use of traffic-light cameras
Some call it the hand of “big brother,” others are convinced cameras at signal lights would be effective in curbing red-light runners and ultimately saving lives.
-
Minister's trial date set
An issue has been resolved over the report from an examination of a girl allegedly taken by her mother to a Bedford motel to have sex with a traveling minister, clearing the way for a trial.
-
AP: Almost half of new veterans seek disability
America’s newest veterans are filing for disability benefits at a historic rate, claiming to be the most medically and mentally troubled generation of former troops the nation has ever seen.
-
Geistown beginning crime watch program
Residents will patrol Geistown streets in the coming weeks as part of a community watch program.
-
Persons of the Week: Nanty Glo vets will remember fallen comrades
Michael Kurtz, Tom Kasecky and Steve Kasecky will be among members of the Loy A. Douglass Post 3489 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Nanty Glo who will be honoring fallen veterans today, Memorial Day.
-
AG candidates face potential conflicts of interest
Both candidates for Pennsylvania attorney general have family ties that could pose a conflict of interest for the one who is elected as the state’s next chief legal officer.
-
Lawmakers: Capitol rallies unpersuasive
Nancy Richey stepped to the podium with a microphone at the Capitol rotunda with the hope that the right people would hear her message.
-
Richland closer to new chief
The search for Richland’s next police chief is winding down.
-
In brief: Thunderstorm downs trees, knocks out power
A late Sunday afternoon thunderstorm brought high winds, hard rain and hail to the Cambria-Somerset region.
- District Deaths May 28, 2012
- More Local News Headlines
-
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast
UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla
Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
