A York City man charged in the fatal shooting of a woman in Manheim Borough was found dead in Alabama from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Manheim Borough, PA – A York City man wanted in connection with a fatal shooting that left a 37-year-old woman dead in Manheim Borough on Monday was found dead in Alabama later that night. Authorities said Michael Anthony Boccia, 36, was discovered inside his vehicle near Cullman, Alabama, after contacting police and threatening to take his own life.
Key Points
• Michael Anthony Boccia, wanted in a fatal Manheim Borough shooting, was found dead in Alabama.
• Boccia had been charged with criminal homicide in the death of Keshia M. Gonzalez.
• Investigators believe Boccia died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police said Boccia called the Manheim Borough Police Department around 11 p.m. Monday and threatened suicide. Investigators determined he was in Cullman, about 45 miles north of Birmingham, and coordinated with Alabama authorities while attempting to keep him on the phone.
Alabama authorities discover suspect dead
As officers in Alabama approached Boccia’s vehicle, they found him dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Alabama Bureau of Investigations is handling the investigation into his death.
Boccia, who lived in the 200 block of East Princess Street in York City, had been charged hours earlier with criminal homicide, firearms not to be carried without a license, simple assault, and possession of a prohibited firearm in connection with the Manheim Borough killing.
Woman found fatally shot inside apartment
The investigation began shortly after 7:30 a.m. Monday when Manheim Borough police responded to reports of multiple gunshots and a woman yelling for help at an apartment in the first block of North Main Street.
Officers arriving at the scene found Keshia M. Gonzalez suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities said she was pronounced dead at the scene.
An eyewitness told investigators they heard Gonzalez screaming for help and attempted to enter her apartment. According to court documents, Boccia then emerged from the doorway and pointed a handgun at the witness, who retreated before hearing three additional gunshots.
Surveillance and witness statements aided investigation
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators showed a maroon sedan matching a vehicle registered to Boccia arriving at the apartment complex around 7:20 a.m. A person was seen walking toward Gonzalez’s residence before audio captured yelling and three gunshots approximately 10 minutes later.
Video then showed an individual leaving the apartment and driving away at a high rate of speed in the sedan, police said.
Several witnesses, including family members, later told investigators that Boccia contacted them after the shooting and stated that he had done something bad. A search of Gonzalez’s apartment uncovered shell casings near her body.
The homicide investigation remains active. Authorities have not released additional details regarding the relationship between Boccia and Gonzalez.