Colorado fugitive wanted for homicide arrested in Gainesville

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alexander James Morgan, 28, was arrested Monday morning at an apartment in Holly Heights on a fugitive warrant out of Colorado. He was wanted in connection with the murder of 33-year-old Amanda Nicole Emberson on December 2 in a hotel in Centennial, CO.

Morgan has a criminal history in Gainesville: He was arrested in November 2013 for hitting his brother over the head with a wooden cane. He had no criminal history at the time and was initially charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon but entered into a deferred prosecution agreement for a reduced charge of domestic battery. However, the agreement was revoked after he failed to complete a substance abuse evaluation and treatment. In July 2014, he was sentenced to 12 months probation, with adjudication of guilt withheld. He violated the probation in January 2015 by getting arrested for petit theft in Pinellas County; by that time, he had two misdemeanor convictions. He served 60 days in the Alachua County Jail after being adjudicated guilty on the domestic battery charge.

Morgan was given a Notice to Appear for marijuana possession in June 2014 after he was hospitalized following a crash. He was then arrested in July 2014 after failing to appear at a court hearing in that case. He was adjudicated guilty of possession of drug equipment and ordered to pay $376 in fees, which he paid the same day.

Morgan was also arrested in Gainesville in 2018 on a warrant out of Colorado on charges of trespassing in a vehicle with intent to commit a crime and theft over $2,000.

Morgan is being held without bail for extradition to Colorado.