Phoenixville Man Behind Bars In 2022 Drug Death Of Pregnant Girlfriend

PHOENIXVILLE, PA —A 41-year-old Phoenixville man was sentenced Monday to 12 to 30 years in state prison for supplying a fatal dose of drugs to his pregnant girlfriend on Valentine’s Day 2022.

Christopher Barbuto was accused of giving his girlfriend, Courtney Wilson, 28, alprazolam, fentanyl, and methamphetamine in his Phoenixville home.

Barbuto was convicted by a jury on Aug. 31 of drug delivery resulting in death, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and related offenses. The verdict followed a two-day trial before Judge Patrick Carmody.

Wilson died as a result of the combined toxic effects of the three drugs, according to an autopsy conducted by the Chester County coroner’s office.

Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said that witnesses told police that Barbuto did not want to “waste” Narcan, a spray used to treat opioid overdose, on his girlfriend.

“He unlawfully disposed of the remaining drugs and other evidence and waited several hours before calling 911,” the district attorney said.

Barbuto’s lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Grant Bloomdahl, asked for leniency. He said Barbuto was a graduate of Devon Preparatory School and St. Joseph University.

On Feb. 14. 2022, Phoenixville police responded to the 200 block of St. Mary’s Street for the report of a possible overdose after 911 received a call from the defendant. When police arrived, they found the victim dead.

Subsequently, police found text messages between the victim and defendant on a phone that indicated Barbuto was supplying the victim with heroin/fentanyl and Xanax.

Witnesses reported that Barbuto continued to ingest drugs after the victim had died.

There were a total of 49 cases of drug delivery resulting in death in Chester County reported from 2015 to 2019, according to a report provided by the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.