Pennsylvania killer who targeted witness faces life behind bars
Lancaster, PA — A Chester County man admitted to killing a cooperating witness and firing gunshots into a home with children inside, bringing a decades-long prison sentence that could keep him behind bars for the rest of his life.
A Lancaster County judge sentenced 28-year-old Steven Scott Gaddis of Pocopson Township on Friday to 43 to 100 years in state prison after he pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges, including conspiracy to commit third-degree murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, and witness intimidation.
Prosecutors said Gaddis targeted 25-year-old Matthew Scott Whisman, who had been cooperating with investigators in connection to a prior non-fatal shooting in Maryland in which Gaddis was a suspect.
On the night of April 3, 2024, Gaddis and two others assaulted Whisman inside a home along the 1100 block of Lancaster Pike in East Drumore Township. Authorities said the group then forced Whisman into a vehicle, where he was injected with a lethal dose of fentanyl.
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Whisman’s body was later disposed of in Cecil County, Maryland, where his remains were discovered months later near a hiking trail after being thrown from a bridge.
Two additional suspects, identified as Alexander Whisman, 19, and Jeremy Absher, 26, are also charged in connection with the killing. Their cases remain pending.
During sentencing, prosecutors presented a statement from the victim’s mother describing the loss and impact on the family.
In a separate case, Gaddis also pleaded guilty to firing a gun into a residence in the 200 block of Meadow Lane in Quarryville Borough in April 2024. Three juveniles were inside the home at the time, but no injuries were reported. Investigators found multiple bullet holes in the residence, including damage to the front door.
Authorities linked Gaddis to that shooting through a recorded prison phone call, witness descriptions of a vehicle, and evidence recovered from a crashed rental car tied to the incident. Data from Gaddis’ cellphone placed him near the scene, and a handgun was recovered from the vehicle.
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The case was investigated by Quarryville Borough Police and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Key Points
- Chester County man sentenced to 43 to 100 years in prison
- Victim killed after cooperating with investigators in prior case
- Separate shooting into home with juveniles inside resulted in no injuries
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