Mar 29, 2022 4 min read

A Buffalo Township man who shot and killed his neighbor while hosting him at his daughter’s college graduation party last year pleaded guilty Monday to manslaughter in order to avoid going to trial.

Richard Lawrence Rollison pleaded guilty in Washington County Court to one count of voluntary manslaughter in the May 15 shooting death of 50-year-old William M. Newman Jr.

Rollison, 55, was originally facing a homicide charge in Newman’s killing, which prosecutors agreed to drop in exchange for his guilty plea on the lesser charge. Judge Valarie Costanzo sentenced Rollison to serve 4 to 8 years in state prison as part of the plea deal, although she asked Newman’s family whether they objected to the agreement after several relatives gave emotional victim impact statements during the hearing.

Rollison and his wife, Brenda, were hosting a graduation party for their daughter at their Pleasant Valley Road home the night of the shooting. As the party faded, Rollison and Newman were alone outside when people inside heard a gunshot, state police said. Brenda Rollison went outside and found Newman lying on his back on the patio with a gunshot wound to his chest as her husband stood a few feet away, police said.

While Rollison admitted to his wife that he shot Newman, there were no witnesses and there has never been an explanation of how it happened or a possible motive. First Assistant District Attorney Leslie Ridge acknowledged that made the possibility of taking the case to trial more difficult, which is why prosecutors agreed to the plea deal.

“They were not necessarily happy with the numbers,” Ridge said during the hearing about Newman’s family’s response to the sentencing range in the plea deal. “But we explained to them no amount of numbers would bring their loved one back.”

Many of the victim’s family members attended the plea hearing wearing shirts with the words “Newman Strong” emblazoned across their chests as a show of solidarity. Newman’s daughter, Shantel Gubanish, testified that she was “angry, hurt and confused” by his death at the hands of someone he considered a friend.

“Your actions that night changed our lives forever, and changed our hearts forever,” Gubanish said. “You robbed us of him and the moments we should have had.”

Gubanish also read a statement on behalf of Newman’s widow, Kelly, about the family’s loss.

“Why did you take my husband’s life and then kill us with silence?” the statement read in reference to Rollison never discussing what transpired before the shooting. “It breaks my heart that you destroyed our lives.”

Rollison was emotionless and looked forward most of the time as Newman’s relatives testified about how his death has affected them, along with confusion over why it happened, considering the two families were friendly. Rollison, who was shackled and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, offered a brief statement in a hushed tone before being sentenced by Costanzo.

“I’m sorry for what I put both of our families through,” Rollison said as his own family sat on a bench just a few feet behind him. “I know none of you will ever forgive me, but I’m very sorry.”

Rollison’s attorney, Marco Attisano, declined to comment after the hearing.

After listening to the victim impact statements, Costanzo once again asked the family if they objected to the plea deal. They said they did not object to it, so the judge proceeded with sentencing.

“It’s very clear it’s had a profound impact on all of you,” Costanzo said to Newman’s family.

In addition to the prison sentence, Rollison must serve 12 months in a supervised re-entry program following his release and pay Newman’s family $20,256 in restitution. He has been jailed without bond since the shooting and will be given credit for time served.