Credit: Bensalem police
A New Jersey resident was charged Friday after an investigation into the death of a man who was raised in Bristol Township.
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Antwan McKoy, 37, of Maple Shade, New Jersey, was preliminarily arraigned Friday at 11:15 a.m. by District Judge Joseph Falcone on charges of involuntary manslaughter, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and harassment. A grand jury that met at the Justice Center in Doylestown Borough recently recommended the charges.
Michael Whispell, 41, a Bristol Township native who had been living in Wyoming County, was staying with his mother at a unit in the Bucks Meadows Apartments on Knights Road in Bensalem Township on Sunday, June 19, 2022 when an altercation allegedly took place.
At approximately 11 p.m., McKoy and his wife, who is the victim’s sister, arrived at the apartment. An argument began between McKoy and Whispell, which led to both men standing up from the couch.
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McKoy began to choke Whispell, which led to Whispell throwing a punch. McKoy then punched Whispell twice in the temple and threw him to the ground, causing him to hit his head. McKoy then jumped on top of Whispell before the altercation was broken up by family members, police said.
Whispell complained that he was unable to fall sleep due to the pain to his head caused by the assault, police said.
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Officers and Bensalem EMS responded to the scene to assist Whispell. He ended up losing consciousness on his way to the hospital, authorities said.
Whispell was taken to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital in Philadelphia and placed in a medically-induced coma, police said.
On July 4, Whispell died from his injuries, police said.
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The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office determined Whispell’s death was caused by complications of a blunt impact injury to the head.
Whispell was raised in Bristol Township and graduated from Harry S. Truman High School in 1998.
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He studied culinary arts in college and worked at several restaurants in the New York and Philadelphia areas, according to his obituary.
Whispell was married to his husband in 2018 and the two lived in Tunkhannock, Wyoming County with their bulldog Festa.
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McKoy turned himself in to the Bensalem Police Department on Friday and is being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility on 10 percent of $5 million bail.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
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