A Kutztown resident pleaded guilty on June 26, 2025, to charges related to the 2022 overdose death of a 62-year-old man in a Springfield Township apartment and was sentenced to a state correctional institution.
William Randall Wright, 39, admitted before Common Pleas Judge Wallace H. Bateman Jr. to selling the drugs that led to Steven Newhart’s death. His plea agreement included drug delivery resulting in death, criminal use of a communication facility, and involuntary manslaughter.
Deputy District Attorney Thomas C. Gannon shared victim impact statements from Newhart’s children, with one daughter stating, “I do not wish this pain on anyone.” Wright also made a statement before the judge imposed a sentence of four to 15 years in prison, along with 12 years of concurrent probation.
Wright was arrested on June 18, 2024, nearly two years after Newhart’s death on June 19, 2022, the day after Father’s Day. Police found Newhart deceased at the Scenic View Apartments after a welfare check. The victim’s family disclosed his struggle with substance abuse.
An autopsy revealed Newhart’s death was accidental due to a mix of cocaine and fentanyl. Investigators quickly identified Wright as a suspect. Wright had lived across from Newhart, and witnesses confirmed Newhart frequently visited Wright’s apartment.
A forensic examination of Newhart’s phone uncovered numerous drug-related messages exchanged with a number linked to Wright, dating back to 2021. Further search warrants revealed more than 150,000 instant messages referencing drug activity on Wright’s phone.
The extensive investigation was led by Bucks County Detectives and Springfield Township Police, with prosecution handled by Deputy District Attorney Thomas C. Gannon.
