mobile site Go to The News Item mobile

Coroner: Contractor charged in scams died of natural causes at county prison

Published: October 29, 2009

Font size: [A] [A] [A]

SUNBURY - William T. Wetzel, the Shamokin contractor who was charged with swindling 23 customers out of thousands of dollars, died Tuesday. He was 50.

Northumberland County Coroner James Kelley said Wetzel died from natural causes that included a heart-related ailment. He was pronounced dead Tuesday morning in the emergency room at Sunbury Community Hospital after being stricken ill outside Northumberland County Prison while unloading food items.

Kelley said an autopsy to determine Wetzel's cause of death was conducted Wednesday morning at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown by Dr. Samuel Land, a forensic pathologist.

In January, Wetzel was sentenced by Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage to 11 to 23 months in county prison on theft charges. He also was ordered to make restitution to his victims.

He was convicted of theft charges related to taking money for construction projects that he never started or never completed.

Ads by Yahoo!






Type in the characters you see in the picture below. If you have trouble reading the characters in the picture, click it to see a new one.



3 posted comments

What a nasty way to announce a man's death.May God bless his family.
Report
A freind,  10/30/09 6:50
Why was he not seen by a physician? Something smells real bad on this.
Report
Citizen,  10/29/09 11:07
Let him rest in peace. Just what his family needed to see, don't you think it is hard enought to have to deal with his death right now. How many other inmates do you put an article in when they pass away when there in prison? I don't even know the guy but I think printing that was uncalled for. It was already published when he was convicted.
Report
Doesn't Matter,  10/29/09 9:47

Irish Trivia Contest

Play the Irish Trivia Game and you could win $100 from George Blum Appraisals - enter now.

Coupons

Now on newsitem.com, print coupons and SAVE!

POLL

Show Results / Add Comment

Calendar of Events

TODAY'S EVENTS
Click here to submit and view local listings in the NI's Calendar of Events.

m.newsitem.com

Now you can access newsitem.com on your favorite mobile device.
Latest on newsitem.com

 
3236221.jpg

Part of building collapses onto street in Shamokin

BY LARRY DEKLINSKI SHAMOKIN - A portion of a vacant commercial building collapsed onto a busy city street late Saturday morning. The collapse occurred around 11:30 a.m. when sheet metal, wood and bricks from 23 S. Market St. fell near the structure on M


 

American Hose Ambulance Company shuts down

MOUNT CARMEL - Longtime borough entity American Hose Ambulance Company has closed down after Special Event EMS (SEEMS) pulled its services from the company, according to Advanced Life Support (ALS) coordinator Leo Mirolli. SEEMS had provided ALS services