District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca have announced John Albert Garner, 28, of Allentown, pleaded guilty in a hearing yesterday before Judge James T. Anthony. Garner pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter – Unreasonable Belief. He was sentenced yesterday to serve 10 to 20 years in state prison.

At 10:20 a.m. July 9, 2023, Allentown Police were called to 314 N. 16th St. to assist city paramedics with a male who was reported to be in cardiac arrest. The man who called 911 said he had not heard from the victim, Alexander Mason Price, for several days and had gone to his residence to check on him.

Price, 32, was found on the floor of his room, dead from multiple blunt force trauma and his death was ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County Coroner.

The investigation revealed that Garner attacked Price and caused the fatal injuries.

Garner fled from Allentown after the killing and was arrested Oct. 24, 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.

Garner has remained in custody since his arrest.

This case was investigated by Allentown Police Detective Theodore Kiskeravage, Lehigh County Detective Daniel Reagan and the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Sarah K. Heimbach.