In the early hours of a January morning, a family member's chilling report to the Pennsylvania State Police initiated a search that would end in the discovery of a tragedy. The relative informed troopers that 51-year-old Orenthia Upshur had confessed to shooting his girlfriend, 49-year-old Maisha Coon, in a Bensalem hotel. This report, made around 5:00 a.m.
on January 15, 2025, also revealed a history of recent arguments between the couple, with the family member having overheard a dispute on a phone call around midnight.
Using cellphone data, authorities were able to narrow down Maisha Coon's location to a cluster of hotels. State Troopers began a systematic search, which led them to the Sleep Inn on Street Road. There, they discovered that Maisha Coon had rented a room. Upon entering, they found her body on the floor, the victim of apparent gunshot wounds. The investigation at the scene would later reveal that three shots had been fired within the room. One bullet struck a pillow, another traveled through the floor into the room below, and one fatally wounded Maisha Coon.
Meanwhile, the suspect, Orenthia Upshur, had fled to Trenton, New Jersey. Around 4:30 a.m., Trenton Police responded to a call of shots fired. Arriving officers heard more gunfire and saw an armed man, later identified as Upshur, run into a nearby home. A standoff ensued, with more shots being fired from inside the residence. The Mercer County Tactical Response Team was called to the scene and eventually took Upshur into custody. A gun believed to be the weapon used in Maisha Coon's death was recovered at the scene of the standoff.
Following his arrest, Orenthia Upshur was extradited to Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He was charged with criminal homicide, unlawful restraint, kidnapping, and weapons violations. During a four-hour police interview, he admitted to killing Maisha Coon. In a subsequent preliminary hearing, all charges against him were held. During the hearing, a detective testified that Upshur had told them Maisha Coon was pleading for help before he shot her, to which he reportedly responded, 'It's all going to end tonight.' Authorities also stated that after the killing, Upshur had intentions of harming members of Maisha Coon's family in New Jersey.
