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FLEMINGTON MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER IN MANVILLE
OCTOBER 19, 2023NEWS RELEASED
FLEMINGTON MAN CONVICTED OFMURDER IN MANVILLESOMERVILLE, N.J. – Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Manville Borough Officer in Charge Lieutenant Craig Jeremiah announced that Samuel C. Coggins, age 31, Flemington, New Jersey, was found guilty on October 3, 2023, of murder in the first degree for the criminal homicide death of Augustine Garcia, age 50, Manville, New Jersey.
Prosecutor McDonald stated that on Thursday, July 14, 2022, at approximately 2:56 p.m. Manville Police responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting an assault outside a residence on North 12th Avenue, Manville, New Jersey. Manville Officers were advised by the Somerset County Communications Center while responding to the residence of unconscious male. Responding Manville Officers upon arrival encountered an unresponsive male suffering from a severe head injury and initiated life saving measures along with emergency medical personnel.
The victim who was identified as Augustine Garcia was transported to an area hospital where he was subsequently pronounced deceased.Prosecutor McDonald stated that the 9-1-1 caller identified as Samuel C. Coggins, who remained at the scene, was the individual involved in the physical assault of Mr. Garcia. Mr. Coggins was transported to the Manville Police Department because of the preliminary investigation. Detectives from the Manville Police Department along with detectives from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Crime Scene Investigations Unit responded to the scene to conduct the investigation. The investigation revealed that Coggins was at the residence to assist Garcia and an unnamed resident with moving from the residence. Subsequently, Coggins assaulted Garcia while outside in the driveway of the residence causing injuries which led to the death of Mr. Garcia. Prosecutor McDonald stated that Samuel C. Coggins received a trial by jury during the week of September 25, 2023, in front of the Honorable Peter J. Tober, Presiding Judge, Criminal Division. That same jury issued a verdict of guilty on October 3, 2023, to both counts of Indictment No. 22-09-00446-I, charging Mr. Coggins with Murder in the First Degree (with aggravating factors that the murder was outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible, or inhuman in that it involved torture, depravity of mind, or an aggravated assault to the victim) and with Bias Intimidation in the First Degree. Mr. Coggins will be sentenced on November 13, 2023.
He faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without eligibility for parole, with the possibility of an additional term of imprisonment between 15 and 30 years. That sentence shall be served in a maximum-security prison.
