Manhunt underway for Moxham gunman; cellphone, community support led police to suspect

David Hurst, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Feb. 9—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A manhunt remained ongoing Thursday for a Pittsburgh teenager accused of gunning down a 41-year-old Johnstown resident on Jan. 23 in the city's Moxham section.

In a criminal complaint, Johnstown police detectives said 18-year-old Michael Cogdell fled the scene on foot after he shot and killed Marvin Price in the 600 block of Park Avenue. Cogdell faces criminal homicide and aggravated assault charges.

"Right now, we have a warrant for Mr. Cogdell and we've reached out to other (departments) to help us find him," Johnstown police Capt. Chad Miller said.

Police wrote in the complaint that they identified Cogdell through surveillance footage, cooperation from community members and the alleged gunman's cellphone, which was recovered after it was allegedly taken from the crime scene by Lexus Capri Simms, 26, who police described as Price's girlfriend.

Simms is charged with hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence, accused of concealing evidence that would have allowed police to quickly identify Cogdell after the shooting. She was in police custody on Thursday in Washington, D.C., and efforts were ongoing to extradite her to Cambria County to face charges, Miller said.

According to the police complaint, surveillance video from Jan. 23 shows Cogdell walking in the 600 block of Park Avenue. A vehicle driven by Price slows down as it passes Cogdell, then makes a U-turn and parks. Cogdell approaches the vehicle and leans into the front seat, then sprints away, running through the St. Patrick's Church parking lot toward Coleman Avenue, according to the police description of the footage.

In the aftermath, Simms, who was traveling behind Price in a separate vehicle, is seen stopping her vehicle and going to Price's vehicle to check on him. She dialed 911 to report the shooting.

During that time, she allegedly found Cogdell's iPhone on the ground and removed it from the scene, police wrote in the complaint.

Photos on the phone matched the description of the shooting suspect, who was spotted on surveillance video several times wearing a multicolored jacket, police said. Cogdell was allegedly spotted on video ditching the jacket in a brush pile near the intersection of Bond Street and 300 Place, and police allegedly found the jacket there with a firearm inside a pocket.