Published: August 28, 2008 10:34 pm            

City man pleads guilty to helping murder suspect

EBENSBURG — A Johnstown man who is accused of hiding a murder weapon for a homicide suspect pleaded guilty Thursday to obstructing justice and hindering the apprehension of a wanted person.

David Bair, 22, of the 1500 block of Meyer Street, also pleaded guilty to robbery in an unrelated case. He will be sentenced Nov. 24 by Judge Gerard Long.

Johnstown police alleged that murder suspect Norris Collins Jr. handed over the handgun to Bair and asked him to “get rid of it” as Collins ran from the scene of the shooting outside the Solomon Homes.

Collins is charged with first-degree murder in the April 27 shooting-death of Cortez Jordan of Ferndale outside one of the Solomon Homes buildings, where his sister, Ashley Jordan, has an apartment.

Police learned of Bair’s involvement after Collins was arrested.

Collins allegedly told police that he gave Bair the gun.

Bair, after being questioned by police, admitted that he had buried the gun along with two baggies of crack cocaine and a pair of rubber gloves in a wooded area near Kramer Place.

The gun and five empty casings, along with the other items, were recovered by police.

The first-degree murder charges and related offenses against Collins were held for county court action in July.

A trial date has not been set.

In the robbery case, Bair, while armed with a gun, allegedly took a wallet from a victim at the Solomon Homes on Nov. 30.

        

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