Novak enters no contest plea to killing father in Nanticoke

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WILKES-BARRE — A Nanticoke man once deemed incompetent to face criminal homicide charges for the fatal shooting of his father in Nanticoke opted not to challenge the case in Luzerne County Court.

Kevin Novak, 32, through his attorneys, Chief Public Defender Joseph Yeager and Public Defender Ana Mojtahedi, entered a no contest plea to third-degree murder before Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. on Tuesday.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Chester F. Dudick along with Assistant District Attorney Julian Truskowski announced the no contest plea agreement during what was scheduled as a motion’s hearing before Sklarosky.

Pennsylvania State Police at Wilkes-Barre in court records alleged Kevin Novak fatally shot his father, Richard Novak, 70, during an argument at the family’s double block home at 1205-1207 S. Prospect St. on March 11, 2022. The shooting happened inside the 1207 side.

Court records say Richard Novak was shot multiple times in the upper body. Multiple .40-caliber shell casings were recovered from the floor in the room where the elder Novak was found.

A spent round was found embedded in the floorboard beneath Richard Novak indicating the victim was shot while lying on the floor, court records say.

A .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun registered to Kevin Novak was found inside 1207 S. Prospect St.

A mental competency hearing for Kevin Novak was held in February 2023. The competency hearing was closed to the public and court filings had been sealed.

In July 2023, Sklarosky deemed Kevin Novak’s competency had been restored upon review of a competency assessment report.

Sklarosky reviewed the no contest plea agreement with Kevin Novak who asked several questions about his appellate rights.

After going over the no contest agreement, Sklarosky accepted the deal between Kevin Novak, his defense lawyers and prosecutors.

The no contest plea agreement involved Sklarosky immediately sentencing Kevin Novak to 12 to 30 years in state prison.

A no contest plea means a defendant does not admit guilty but accepts prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.