Prosecutors say 28-year-old Steven Gaddis was sentenced Tuesday to 43 to 100 years in prison after he admitted killing 25-year-old Matthew Whisman. Authorities report that Whisman was beaten, injected with a lethal dose of fentanyl and his body was then dumped off a bridge. The sentence brings to a close a months-long investigation that began when Whisman was reported missing in July and human remains were recovered in Maryland last summer.
According to Law&Crime, Gaddis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit third-degree murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping and intimidation of a witness. Prosecutors said the plea followed review of court documents and local reporting that detailed the alleged attack.
The Lancaster County District Attorney's Office says the three accused assaulted Whisman inside a home on the 1100 block of Lancaster Pike in East Drumore Township on April 3, 2024, then forced him into a vehicle and injected him with fentanyl before dumping his body off a bridge, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office. The online post notes the suspects were charged with 11 offenses, including murder and drug delivery resulting in death.
Local outlets say Whisman's mother filed a missing-person report in July after losing contact with him, and human remains found "downstream near a hiking trail" in Cecil County, Maryland, in August 2024 were later confirmed to be his, as reported by WGAL. Investigators say one witness told them he believed something "horrible" had happened and identified the suspects.
What prosecutors say
Court filings reviewed by Law&Crime describe a chilling exchange in which Gaddis allegedly told Whisman, "How would you feel if it's your last supper," before the injection. Prosecutors say Gaddis and one co-defendant then tossed Whisman's body off a bridge into Maryland waters.
Co-defendants and next steps
Authorities charged Jeremy Absher and Alexander Whisman alongside Gaddis. The District Attorney's Office says Absher moved to Mayesville, South Carolina, and was later extradited, while Alexander Whisman remained at a youth intervention center on unrelated matters. Court dockets show other charges are still active and prosecutors are preparing those cases for Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas.
Legal context
The defendants were charged with, among other counts, drug delivery resulting in death, a first-degree felony under Pennsylvania law that applies when someone intentionally delivers a controlled substance and another person dies as a result. The statute's text and classification are set out in Pennsylvania law at 18 Pa.C.S. § 2506.
Gaddis' 43 to 100 year sentence means he will be behind bars for decades while his two co-defendants continue to face court proceedings. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Pennsylvania State Police Lancaster or the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
