The St. Joseph Police Department is continuing its search for a murder suspect and now a reward is being offered for tips that lead to his capture.

Charles Leroy Coats Jr., 32 of St. Joseph was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder in connection with the Saturday shooting death of Jason Ginn, 32 of St. Joseph.

As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, Coats was still not in police custody.

“We’re applying a lot of resources to locating him,” said Capt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department. “We are actively working along with multiple other agencies across the state to locate him.”

According to court documents, witnesses saw Coats and Ginn get into a verbal argument on Coats’ front porch Saturday around 5 p.m at 308 S. 15th St.  As Ginn started walking away witnesses said Coats pulled a handgun and began firing at him, hitting him four times.  Ginn died from a fatal gunshot wound to his head.

Wilson said police have been looking for Coats for a substantial amount of time.

“He became a person of interest within a short time frame of the incident,” Wilson said. “Anytime we have a person of interest we want to speak to that person.”

Anyone with information to Coats whereabouts is being asked to contact the TIPS Hotline at (816) 238-TIPS.  Wilson said a reward for tips that lead to Coats apprehension will be given.

The amount is determined by a board that governs the rewards.

“There’s a homicide suspect that’s on the loose so that’s of concern,” Wilson said when asked if the public should be worried that a murder suspect was still at large. “We have a lot of leads that we’re working on but we do not have him located at this time.  Any help from the community or anybody that would want to call in would be very appreciated.”

Tips can be made at (816) 238-8477.