Evidence, self-incrimination, digital trail led to rare drug death convictions in Valley | Snyder County

SUNBURY — Physical evidence, self-incriminating statements and in one case a digital trail, led to two convictions for cases of drug delivery resulting in death.

The convictions came in Northumberland and Snyder counties last year. They’re the only two cases out of 138 deadly overdoses across four Valley counties from 2016 through 2018 that ended with a defendant jailed on a charge of fatal drug delivery.

Investigators say they’re challenged due to a lack of evidence or solid witnesses, crime scenes with evidence disturbed and complex toxicology results. 

Mount Carmel police worked to deliver enough evidence to earn a conviction in the fatal overdose of Matthew Santangelo.

Ryan Chambers supplied the dose of heroin that killed the 60-year-old on Oct. 27, 2017, according to police records. Those same records show Chambers tried to keep Santangelo alive.

When Chambers was arrested, court documents stated he both called 911 and attempted CPR prior to the arrival of first responders. His efforts and that of the medical professionals weren’t enough. Santangelo died inside a rented room of a Mount Carmel residence.

Police collected a syringe, black belt fashioned into a tourniquet and material used to package heroin among paraphernalia found at the scene.

“We had an empty bag with what amounted to two pieces of dust and were able to test it,” Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Matulewicz said. 

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Matulewicz said Chambers gave a video-recorded confession but the recording didn’t capture the entire statement. He couldn’t explain the mishap. Mount Carmel Police Chief Christopher Buhay worked to get a second confession on video, Matulewicz said.

Chambers, 24, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in September to serve 10 to 20 years in state prison.

Matulewicz said Mount Carmel police acted quickly and worked with the district attorney’s office right from the start. It was the department’s first time charging someone with drug delivery resulting in death, Buhay said previously. 

“I wish every case involving death by delivery was like this,” Matulewicz said. “We had this case proven before we even had charges filed.”

Evidence discovered by police in the 2018 death of Coby Goodling spanned from physical to digital. There was a syringe and a brown-stained cotton ball used to filter a shot of fentanyl, an empty baggie stamped with the word “Iraq,” an electronic tablet and cell phone, all according to arrest papers. The toxicology testing confirmed a fatal dose of fentanyl.

Goodling’s family accessed his Facebook account from a home computer, police said. They learned he’d been in touch with Christine Walburn. Messages between the two show Walburn arranged to sell what she believed to be heroin, not the severely more potent drug fentanyl. Police said Walburn knew how strong it was since she twice overdosed after taking the drug herself.

“Do you have the same as you had last time?” Goodling asked.

In a message from Walburn, she said, “I’ll be at the door in like 2min (sic) if that’s ok.”

Walburn and Goodling met shortly before midnight Feb. 23 at Goodling’s home. A sales receipt from the Selinsgrove Walmart showed Goodling made a purchase at the store after 1 a.m. Feb. 24. He returned home, used the fentanyl and overdosed. He was 28.

“That’s a situation where you had more evidence than most,” Snyder County District Attorney Mike Piecuch said.

Walburn, 30, confessed to police she sold Goodling the heroin that killed him, according to arrest papers. She pleaded guilty to felony drug delivery resulting in death and was sentenced in December to a state prison sentence of 5 to 10 years.

A new investigation starts with each death. So far in 2019, there are five new cases in Northumberland County, one in Montour County and one in Union County. Police and district attorneys work together on each.

“Police are out doing all they can,” Matulewicz said. “These things are always just not cut and dry. But we understand victim’s families struggle and look for closure.”