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Danielle McCarthy
Washington

Christi Nowak
Georgia

Anke Furber
Georgia

Levi Wren
Washington

Ephrain Schultz
New York

Mark R Ellis
Rhode Island

Sean P. Efford
New Mexico

Caitlyn Brady
New Hampshire

Katty McGuire Andrea
Washington

JP Faulk
Florida

Michael Miller
Massachusetts

Chuck Tabaka
Wisconsin

Miranda Daly
California

Jamie Leavitt
Washington

Kaylin Marie Mathews
California

RJ Davis
Alabama

Billy Grandchamp
Rhode Island

Nicholas Werhofnik
Georgia

Rebecca Marks
New York

Dustin Kueter
South Dakota

Chase Denver Julian
Louisiana

Katelynn Porter
Ontario,Canada

Tony Trujillo
Colorado

Billy Joe Towle Jr.
Michigan

Kelley Wilson
Alabama

Rhiannon Fraser
Florida

Vivianna Satterfield
New Mexico

Kelli Laine Lewis
South Carolina

Taylor Smith
Georgia


Danielle cherished family, friends and life. She had her whole life planned out; her husband, number of kids, two dogs and would be a dermatologist, a career where she could help others but have time for her family.
Christi had just enrolled in college. She just began taking First Baptist Church shuttles downtown every Thursday to befriend the homeless. Just chit chatting with them and letting them know they had a friend. In her journals, she was determined to turn her life around and she started by helping others. She volunteered often for the M.U.S.T. Ministries to help set up their clothing shop for the homeless and the children's center. She helped cooked their meals. She helped do their laundry. She wanted to go into a field helping others. She would have changed at least one person's life, for the better, when they thought there was no more hope. She didn't show up last Thursday. She died.
In the months before she was killed, 21-year-old Anke Furber had been acting scared and she seemed to know she was in danger. Several days after Furber's charred remains were discovered in a small vineyard in Norcross, Anke's mom, Ria, found a note in Anke's desk at home in Marietta. In it, Anke seemed to foreshadow her own death. She wrote, "My parents would surely grieve the loss of their wonderful daughter whose craziness would soon lead to her slaughter". Ria isnt sure exactly when the note was written, but believes it was written in a close time frame to the actual murder.
At 22 years old, Levi had goals and ambitions of being a business owner, a husband and a father. He loved his family and friends with everything in him and would do anything for you. His shyness and manners we're a shining attribute to who he was. Unfortunately, Levi befriended someone who for nearly three years took advantage of his kindness and when asked to leave his home, he killed him. If he would have just walked out the door as asked, Levi would still be here today. We'll never know all the wonderful things that Levi would have accomplished, but we know he was a "Friend" till the end.
Ephraim was 21 yrs old when he prematurely transitioned to the other side. He was a very warm hearted young man. And was always available to help friends and family. As his cousin Ben said about him: "You can lay a 1,000. on the table and know completely that Ephraim would have never taken it". He spent most of his days at Antique World in Clarence , NY which was owned and operated by his Uncle. That was my sons world. A world he will no longer be able to participate in. He is sorely missed by his family and friends.
Mark suffered a brain injury at the age of 19 the night of a high school prom. Mark died at the age of 25. Life was hard for Mark, he lived an aphasic life. Mark struggled to relearn his alphabet and to speak again. Neuro rehab, drug rehab, jails, institutions and death. Mark was disabled and a fighter all at the same time. College, heavy equipment operator, volunteering were all part of these six years. Mark loved kids and wished he had one. Due to the selfish reasoning of his so called friends, Mark will never be able to achieve his dreams that he fought so hard for. Mark's struggle is over !! PEACE..........
His friends describe him as a kind, warm hearted, full of energy, always smiling, and a very silly young man. They also said that whenever Sean walked into a room that he had the ability lighting up the room because he was full of life and energy! He loved his dad, his mom, and his sister very much. He had a very special bond with his great grandma Efford and his great aunt Charlene whom also up in heaven with him. A warm hug from Sean was just another way that he showed his affection to his family and friends
When Cayte was in the middle school she was on the track team, she was a cheerleader for the Nor-Roc Vikings, she was on a soccer team, and she loved attending the dances at the Sad Cafe. When she went to high school, all of those activities stopped. The sad reason was because she was too old. All the kids have, once they reach high school, are the woods and the homes of friends when the parents are at work. If she had activities to do after school when she went to high school, maybe this wouldn't have happened.
From her birth to her passing Katty touched so many lives. Not only did her family have the joy of watching her grow from a 6 pound baby girl to a beautiful young woman, but so many others did as well. The lives she touched are too many to fathom. Her beauty and grace preceded her where ever she went. Her heart was made of fine gold and she cared for others always before herself. She was not just special to all of us but to the Lord who saw fit to call her home at such a young age. Her mansion was ready! When we think of Katty now we all can be at peace because we know she is with her Lord, never to face this harsh world we live in day to day. She is with us always when we remember her smile, her touch, and her kind words. We all had the pleasure of being touched by an ANGEL!
We want our son's name to be Remembered and to bring hope and joy out of something that has been the darkest and heartbreaking days of our families life. JP was very out spoken and we have decided to be that way on this site and to be his voice about the drug companies and the public official's that sit back and do nothing. If we could save one person from what our family had to go Through and is still going Through, it would be all worth it We will not stop until the truth gets out. We want his memory to live on.
Time has gone by so quickly and it seems like we haven't seen your face in forever. Our hearts are broken, our tears flow so freely and our souls feel empty. Michael, you left us with so many happy memories but the memories can never take your place. We know you and your uncle Sam are saving a place for those who cherished you the most.
Two weeks before he died, Chuck called me on the phone. He was excited to tell me he was joining the National Guard. He had begun to think about being a History Teacher. He planned to attend school after basic training. He also mentioned a new girlfriend. He was pretty crazy about her but wanted to give things a little more time before making her "meet the parents". Still, we made plans to meet for lunch once July wound down. He thought we might all get together and told me not to worry, he had a job and would help pay the check. The first time I met the young lady he was so crazy about was as she cried herself senseless over his casket. She laid a broken heart chain and necklace across his hands. She wore the mating half around her slender neck. Her courage in court helped to solidify the deal that sent a drug dealer to prison. I hope she, and Chuck's other friends, make the right decision and swear off drug use so we may never see their faces on these pages.
Everyone ever touched by Miranda. This will be a tribute to the life she lived. She was the most remarkable and inspirational woman I have ever known. I was in awe of my own daughter. Even as her mother, her beauty took my breath away, and as she walked this earth from her crawling stages to adulthood her beauty from the inside amazed me. Miranda loved about every living thing and each friend she had she made her relationship with them special and unique.
Jamie was a very loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, boyfriend and friend.. Most importantly he was the best father anyone could have asked for.. Even though he was only 16 when he was taken away from us from his so called friend, he did everything for his daughter and mother of his daughter  that he had asked to marry him when he turns 18.. Jamie was the type of kid that would take his shirt off his back for anyone that needs it..  Jamie died on April 23, 2008.. If only his so called friend (29 yrs old), his mother and the other people at the home called 911 instead of waiting 3 hours, he would still be here with us today.. Jamie's dad passed away Nov 2005 and he had a hard time dealing with loosing his father and could not believe he was gone.. Well now Jamie is at home with his dad..Until we meet again... I am proud of you my son..Love you always and forever, Mommy
Kaylin Marie Mathews was born on a Tuesday March 1, 1988. Kaylin was my oldest child and my only daughter. She could play the piano, guitar, and drums and loved to sing. She had been "spinning records" the last few years and loved to mix music. She had been working as a d.j. at the time of her death and was very good. Kaylin was an only child for 71/2 years. She has one brother and one sister. She was a talented writer. She made jewelry and she could draw. There was nothing that my baby couldn't do, if she wanted to. Kaylin was left to die in a ravine on June 30, 2008. She was found on July 1, 2008. Her date of death is listed as a Tuesday July 1, 2008. She was 20 years old. I miss her every second of every day. The world lost an amazing talent and an amazing young woman. I lost a part of my heart.
R.J. was truly a blessing in our lives. He was the kind of son that most parents only dream of having. He always respected and obeyed his parents and never got in trouble. RJ was never in trouble in his life RJ always called home to let us know where he was and when he would be home. When he was missing and we couldn't reach him on his cell phone, we knew immediately something terrible was wrong. This is a nightmare that no parent should have to go through and we are living it. Our concern is not what we are going through, but what our son had to go through in his final moments of life.
William Michael Grandchamp better known as Billy, was born Nov 7,1979. HE was a only child. Billy had many friends. Billy often told his friends that his MOM was his best friend. Billy liked to collect sports attire like jerseys and sports caps.Everything he wore had to match. He was meticulous with his clothing, car, and home. Although, Billy had no children of his own he loved children. He told me his greatest wish was to find a good girl and settle down and have a family. That seemed to be very important to him. Even at a young age he had a gift with children. Billy's friends have always commented on how good he was with their children and how their children loved him. Billy was loved by so many people. He had over 800 friends and family members at his wake. Billy will be greatly missed by all his family and friends.
Chase lived life spontaneously with the freedom of a butterfly – a free spirit & soul – no one could hold him down, except his baby girl. She was his LIFE. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her, including getting clean. Chase was clean 1.5 yrs, after 6 months in residential rehab in New Orleans, continued with NA meetings, substance abuse group counseling, and sought out a Navy recruiter who told him all he would have to do to be eligible. He seemed to be on his way, until he fell off the wagon 12 days out of jail. Turning to heroin again to deal with stress was the mistake of his life. “Chase’s Story” is shared with you on his main page. Thanks for taking time to read it. Sincere and heartfelt thanks to the FDLFD Family for taking us under their wings. “They will sing me to them, and I will hear.” ~RIP Chase~4evrYng~1985-2009
Katelynn Lillian Porter, 16, of West Elgin, was killed in a car crash on Dunborough Rd. in Elgin County. “In loving memory of Katelynn Porter. 12/12/09. 9:40 p.m.” is written between two hearts on the roadside memorial, a makeshift cross. Porter was a student at West Elgin secondary school, where officials are trying to come to grips with the news of her death, especially so close to Christmas.
Tony passed away 10 days after his 16th birthday. He asked permission to spend the night at his friends and I told him yes. I told him" I love you" and he replied "I love you too Mom. Tony was the kid who wanted to make everyone laugh. He had such a wonderful sense of humor and a big heart. He would talk to his friends for hours trying to help them solve their problems. He was a loving big brother, and a wonderful son. He would help you with anything without even being asked. Tony was an extremely intelligent child. He was always placed in advanced classes. A week before he passed we received a letter from Columbine informing us that Tony was nominated to participate in their advanced English Program. He had a gift for writing stories.
She loved all things technical and mechanical with her older brother Ian and fashion and decorating days with her older sister Genevieve. She loved Gothic country art, the workings of the human body, video games, driving and her new tattoo machine. She loved swimming and surfing. She loved all things living and loved her dog Timpleton and her parrot Thermopolis. She had a strong heart and soul, was an independent and progressive thinker, open minded and a will power like no one else. Her favorite place to go was Barnes and Noble.
Vivianna Satterfield was 15 years old! Vivi was the type of young lady that put other people in front of herself. She would always say "Peace and Love".
Kelli Laine Lewis is my only daughter. Kelli died when she was 18 after attending a party hosted by 3 adults who offered a $5.00 entry fee to come and drink all you wanted. A pretty tempting offer for teens not old enough to buy alcohol.
Growing up – she had it all. She was smart and witty - she could come up with a jovial comeback in almost any conversation or situation. She wShe was smart and witty - she could come up with a jovial comeback in almost any conversation or situation. She was always photographing everything and always laughing. She had an infectious laugh, loud and squeaky, but incredibly endearing. Taylor was a huge fan of Tyler Perry’s Madea. She owned every play and knew every word to every gospel song in the plays. She would sing them at the top of her lungs to anyone that would listen. as always photographing everything and always laughing. She had an infectious laugh, loud and squeaky, but incredibly endearing.
He went out THE FIRST TIME to celebrate being "LEGAL" with a creep he considered a friend (even though we warned him this guy was not a true friend). My son did not drive so he was picked up about ten thirty. Even when it was obvious my son was having difficulties this creep brought him to his own house , which is 4 houses away for a few hours, and dropped him off here at home in the middle of the night WITHOUT KNOCKING OR CALLING OR WAKING US UP. We found Ben in his bed the next morning when we tried to wake him.

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North Carolina News:



Fuquay Varina Father Fights For Justice

And Wins

By Jaclyn Asztalos

6-4-2009

 

David Klein says he has finally found some relief after Tamitha Hicks Gilchrist plead guilty to

second degree murder for the death of his son Taylor in April 2006.

"If you supply drugs to somebody and they die, you could be charge with second degree

murder," Klein explained. "It's a law in North Carolina."

Klein said Taylor, 18, went to Gilchrist's house in Fuquay to get drugs. It's the next part of the

story that he says continues to haunt him.

"Taylor became ill and sick and went into a coma. Instead of calling 911 or taking him

somewhere they let him die," Klein said. "They then put him in a ditch in Fuquay."

At first, the Wake County Sheriff's Department called the death a drug overdose, blaming no

one. But Klein didn't back down.

Klein hired a lawyer and private investigator, while also asking the District Attorney for help.

This effort paid off when the DA took Gilchrist, 42, into custody in April 2008 - two years after

Taylor's death.

Then came Gilchrist's guilty plea on May 4 of this year.

"We got her off the street for 10 years," Klein said. "I don't know if there's justice but she's off

the streets."

He hopes his struggle to get a drug dealer behind bars saves the lives of other teens, and says

parents need to take action.

"Do something now. If you have a child into drugs do it now!" Klein said. "Don't wait until

tomorrow."

Klein says a load has been lifted, but the pain of his loss still remains stronger than ever.

There are other men involved with leaving Taylor's body in a ditch, and Klein says they may face

criminal charges in the future as well.

http://wake.mync.com/site/wake/news|Sports|Lifestyles/story/35883/fuquay-varina-father-fights-for-justice-and-wins


 

Victims family asks why accused heroin dealer is free

 
Staff photo | David Reynolds
Danielle Guinn (left), 18, and her parents, Betsy and John McIntosh, say Renee Guinn (in picture), 21, was struggling to put her addiction to prescription medications behind her. Renee Guinn overdosed on drugs, including heroin, on Nov. 9 and died days later.

By David Reynolds
Staff Writer

Published: Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 5:05 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 11:14 p.m.

This summer Renee Guinn moved back home to stay with her parents in Carolina Beach and get her life back together, her mom and dad say.

The 21-year-old from Carolina Beach had been away at college and then working. Her parents say she drank alcohol and experimented with illegally-obtained prescription drugs and she was trying to put that behind her.

Back home, she worked as a waitress, went to Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and didnt complain when her parents John and Betsy McIntosh surprised her with a drug test.

She had a plan to return to college after getting rid of her ghosts, Betsy McIntosh said. Her daughter seemed to be doing well, she said, enjoying life while deciding how to spend the rest of it.

Now her parents are wondering how their daughters life disappeared so fast. On Nov. 9, Guinn, 21, overdosed on drugs, including heroin, and died a few days later at New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

EMS workers found her at the home of 21-year-old Michael John Sands Jr. who Guinn had known years earlier and who was out on bond awaiting trial on numerous charges when Guinn overdosed.

His pending charges include heroin trafficking and robbery with a dangerous weapon, according to court records.

One of the allegations is that Sands used 5728 Highgrove Place the house where Guinn would later overdose for drug purposes.

Sands is not charged in connection with Guinns death.

But that Guinn was found at his home after her overdose has led her parents to question how authorities handled his pending cases.

Why isnt he still in jail? John McIntosh said. I dont understand why this happened. Guinns mother and father also questioned how much police have investigated the circumstances surrounding their daughters overdose.

An official with the New Hanover County Sheriffs Office said deputies are looking in to Guinns overdose, but declined to discuss any details, citing an ongoing investigation.

Authorities also wont discuss the specifics of Sands multiple pre-trial releases. Instead, they said prosecutors and judges weigh a variety of factors when they recommend and set bonds.

The overdose

On Nov. 9, sheriffs deputies responded to 5728 Highgrove Place to assist emergency medical workers, according to Deputy Charles Smith, the offices spokesman.

The sheriffs office incident report lists Guinn as the victim and Sands as the reporting party.

Guinn spent several days in a coma, her parents say. Because she was young, doctors used ventilators to keep her alive, hoping for a miracle. She never woke up and died Nov. 12, according to her parents.

New Hanover County Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy Ed McMahon said Guinns overdose is under investigation. He declined to elaborate on the specific case, but said any inquiry into a fatal drug overdose would consider the victims history with drugs and anything else going on in the location where the overdose occurred.

Guinns parents want to know how someone awaiting trial on drug charges could have a young woman overdose on heroin in their home and not be sent back to jail.

Pending charges

On April 26, Sands and three others were stopped by Wilmington police near the intersection of Greenville Loop and Pine Grove roads. In their vehicle, officers found 500 small bags of heroin, an estimated $10,000 worth of drugs. All four people were charged with heroin trafficking and initially held on $2 million bond, according to the Wilmington Police Department.

Court records show Sands was released May 15 after his bond was reduced to $10,000.

Then, on July 2, WPD charged Sands with robbing Seahawk Book & Supply on South College Road months earlier on April 3. The arrest warrant alleges Sands held up a clerk at gunpoint and stole $815.

He was out the day after his arrest on $5,000 bond.

Police stopped Sands again on July 9, and charged him with reckless driving. A subsequent search of his home found digital scales, wax bags, used syringes and cocaine, according to New Hanover County Assistant District Attorney Tom Old.

Sands was arrested on new charges, including maintaining a dwelling for drug purposes and again was released the next day, July 10, on bonds totaling $13,000.

He has court dates on Monday on the drug charges and Jan. 12 on the robbery charge. His attorney, Frank Jones, said he would not comment on the cases while they are ongoing.

Setting bonds

Authorities would not discuss Sands bond, but prosecutors said defendants are released before trial for a variety of reasons.

In most cases, bonds are set by magistrates and then reviewed by judges who consider the recommendations of prosecutors.

Among the considerations magistrates and judges look at when setting bonds are a defendants criminal history, the likelihood theyll show up for court and the risk they might pose.

Speaking generally about bonds, New Hanover County Chief District Judge J. Corpening said defendants who reoffend while on bond are still entitled to another bond hearing, but the offense will be a factor against them. Every jurisdiction struggles with how to handle drug users who are on bond because of the high rate of recidivism in drug cases. Still, he said it would be impossible to incarcerate them all while they await trial.

New Hanover County District Attorney Ben David said in some cases authorities let defendants out on bond so they can lead law enforcement to other, higher-level suspects.

Its a common law enforcement technique, which David said local authorities have used to catch criminals ranging from drug dealers to murderers.

Still, no matter the reason for any defendants release, David said his office strives to keep dangerous and repeat offenders off the street. And those who reoffend while on bond should go back to jail, he said.

Often times, David said, prosecutors with his office ask judges to increase bonds.

John and Betsy McIntosh wonder if theyll ever know all the circumstances surrounding their daughters overdose.

From the beginning, it has been a maze of horror they feel theyve navigated alone. Betsy McIntosh said the small details have added to her frustration with local law enforcement, who she said shed be inclined to let do their work if she thought things were proceeding as they should. Although McIntosh said she signed a waiver so detectives could have Guinns medical records for their investigation months ago, she wonders what has been done.

Somebody needs to take responsibility, she said.

David Reynolds: 343-2075

dave.reynolds@starnewsonline.com



The 15-year-old suspect in the drug overdose death of a teenage girl faces new charges.

Thursday, February 02, 2006 | 6:26 AM

 By Shae Crisson

The suspect, a tenth-grader at Cary High School, walked into the Wake County Courthouse with his wrists and ankles cuffed and chained. He faces drug and second-degree murder charges for the overdose death of Erica Hicks, 16, who died in October after taking a mixture of ecstasy, methamphetamine and cocaine.

The suspect, whose name is not being released because of his age, faces new charges. Police say he was smoking a joint with another teen in a car outside Cary High School when they arrested him Tuesday.

Deb Newton, the boy's attorney, portrayed him as a good friend who held Hicks' hand until help arrived. She asked a judge to release the suspect from the juvenile detention center.

"[The suspect's ] father is a single parent," she said. "They're trying their best to support him and stay together and support him and support each other. They're not holding together very well. It's a very emotional situation. They're very close to the victim's family."

Prosecutors countered, saying the teenager told another friend, "I'm not going to jail again," when Hicks overdosed. They say the suspect has had drug problems since the eighth grade and officers found marijuana stems and a homemade bong in his home trash last week. Police also found drugs, paraphernalia and scales in his house.

The judge sided with prosecutors, ordering the suspect to stay behind bars.

"It's a very serious case, and people need to understand that this is a charge that you could be charged with," said prosecutor Melanie Shekida.

Prosecutors would like to charge the boy as an adult, but that decision will not be made for at least two more weeks. Overdose brings drug problem to forefront The case brings the use of drugs to the forefront for many parents who thought their children were protected.

When we asked students at Southeast Raleigh High School about Hicks' death, we also asked them what types of drugs teens are using and how easy it is to get them.

Amilca O'Conner admitted it's not that hard.

"It's weed, plenty of drugs around," she said. "It's like so much drugs, but you just got to know not to take them because you don't know what someone can lace drugs with."

According to SouthLight, a Raleigh drug treatment facility, from 2004 to 2005, the number of Wake County students caught with drugs on campus or during school hours more than doubled from 153 to 315.

Those students were referred to SouthLight. Dr. Tad Clodfelter says kids are starting younger and using more addicting drugs.

"Crystal meth, methamphetamine, crack cocaine although similar to cocaine itself, they're slightly more addictive because they have such a powerful instant gratification from the first hit, which is much stronger than cocaine," he said. "It's more reinforcing and, by that, more addicting than cocaine."

He says it's never the wrong time to start talking to your kids about drugs or get them help. He doesn't want another teen to die or any more to be charged with murder.




Overdose victim's addiction problems began with alcohol, prescription drugs

Submitted Photo
Renee Guinn
Published: Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 5:19 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 6:48 p.m.

Since she returned home this summer, Renee Guinns family supported her efforts to stay clean. Guinn went to Narcotics Anonymous meetings twice a week, family members said, and she passed the OrAlert drug tests her parents gave her.

She wanted to stay sober. She wanted to change, her younger sister Danielle Guinn said. She was taking care of business. She was really, really doing well.

Everything changed Nov. 9 when Guinns family learned the 21-year-old Ashley High School graduate had overdosed on a mix of drugs, which included heroin. Emergency medical workers found her at the home of a man Guinn had known years earlier, family members said. Guinn died days later.

Guinn had been an honor student in high school, but later left Appalachian State University to work before returning home. Family members said she was athletic, loved to write and planned to return to college once she put her addictions behind her and figured out what she wanted to do with her life.

Although her parents said Guinn had been drug-free for months, shed been struggling with addiction.

They say her troubles with substances began with alcohol, and progressed to illegally-obtained prescription drugs such as Xanax and Oxycontin. According to The National Institute of Drug Abuse, prescription drug abuse is on the rise. In 2004, 9.3 percent of 12th-graders reported using Vicodin, a painkiller, without a prescription, according to the institutes Web site.

While Guinns parents acknowledge her recreational use of pills, her mother said a back-injury contributed to her use of painkillers. Guinn was scared of needles and didnt use heroin, her parents said. But her family said her illegal use of prescription drugs could have increased the chances shed try something stronger.

And in some cases, the drugs are similar. Oxycontin, contains Oxycodone, a painkiller similar to morphine, according to the FDA. Heroin is made from morphine, a derivative of opium poppy plants, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Guinns sister, Danielle, said many young people dont realize the dangers of illegally obtained prescription drugs.

She also said the pills are easier for teenagers to get than alcohol. Her sister isnt the first person shes known who used painkillers and later died from a drug overdose, she said.

It seems like its never going to stop, Danielle Guinn said. No matter who dies.

David Reynolds: 343-2075

dave.reynolds@starnewsonline.com




Families of overdose victims seek laws to punish dealers

Published: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 5:19 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 9:08 p.m.

 



 

Click to enlarge
Blaire Thompson



After her younger brother accidentally overdosed on drugs in October, Crystal Lewis was left facing not only life without her sibling, but the grim reality her brothers actions helped seal his own fate.

Two years younger than Lewis, Nicholas S. Murray, 24, was fun-loving and passionate about life, Lewis said.

And while he did illegally use prescription drugs, he paid for his mistake with his life, Lewis said.

But she also said her brother isnt the only who should face consequences in connection with his overdose.

So this week, Lewis is circulating a petition in the hope of convincing legislators to change state law to make it more likely drug dealers face consequences when users die.

A petition-signing event is planned for 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Captn Bills Backyard Grill off Market Street. The event is also to remember people who have died from overdoses, Lewis said.

The problem

During the past five years an average of 768 people died in North Carolina each year as a result of accidental drug overdoses, according to statistics from the N.C. State Center for Health Statistics Web site.

New Hanover County averaged 23 deaths per year during that period. Brunswick County averaged 12 deaths and Pender County, two, according to the centers Web site.

Lewis isnt the only relative of a young overdose victim who says drug dealers should face consequences when users overdose on their product.

John McIntosh, whose 21-year-old daughter Renee Guinn overdosed in November, has said if someone gave his daughter drugs, they should be prosecuted criminally in connection with her death. Guinn overdosed at the home of a man who was on bond while awaiting trial on allegations of heroin dealing, according to an incident report filed with the New Hanover County Sheriffs Office.

Keith Thompson of Wilmington, whose daughter Blaire overdosed in 2004, said relatives of overdose victims expect criminal charges to follow the deaths, and too often, theyre disappointed.

When your child is dead, if they had a gunshot wound or a knife in their back, the police would look into what happened to them, Thompson said. But if the investigation reveals the victim took drugs, Thompson said, the case is closed.

In 2006, Thompson supported a Drug Dealer Liability Act, which would have allowed families of overdose victims to sue drug dealers who sold in the area where the overdose occurred.

The measure wasnt supported in the General Assembly, Thompson said.

Part of the problem with holding dealers accountable, he says, is North Carolinas rule of contributory negligence meaning that if a person contributes to their own injury, they cant seek damages from another person who may also have been at fault.

With her petition, Lewis seeks to rid North Carolina law of contributory negligence. But Lewis, 27, also said she hopes the petition draws attention to overdose cases and encourages more criminal prosecutions.

People dont have compassion for people with drug dependencies, she said. It has to happen to you before you take it seriously, and its sad.

Proof problems

New Hanover Assistant District Attorney Jon David said fatal drug overdoses send a message out to addicts that a particular dealer is selling potent drugs.

So investigators respond quickly to overdoses, he said, to arrest the dealer, get the drugs off the street and prevent more deaths.

But while state law technically allows dealers, in certain cases, to be prosecuted for second-degree murder in connection with an overdose, making the charge stick in court is a tough proposition.

Witnesses to overdoses are usually breaking the law themselves, David said, and so rarely cooperate with police. Also, its difficult to prove the dealer intended to hurt the user.

But the biggest problem, David said, is convincing a jury the dealer is at fault when users choose to take drugs which they know are dangerous and illegal.

Authorities know users are acting on an addiction, David said, and they aim to prosecute the drug dealers who make money off users by prosecuting them for drug dealing. But that doesnt mean prosecutors can convince a jury that the user isnt the one who is ultimately responsible for his or her death.

Our obligation is to prosecute cases we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury, David said. These cases are notoriously mission impossible.

Still, David said both violent crime and narcotics investigators respond to overdoses.

On Oct. 3, Murray and his girlfriend, Malissa R. Hurlburt, 26, were found in their Wilmington apartment, both dead of an accidental overdose, according to Detective K.J. Tully, who investigates violent crimes and deaths for the Wilmington Police Department.

There were no witnesses. Police found opiate-based painkillers, some of them legally prescribed to Hurlburt. Some prescription bottles were empty even though the prescriptions had been recently filled, Tully said.

Toxicology tests showed Murray and Hurlburt died after combining opiate-based painkillers oxymorphone and hydrocodone with illegally obtained methadone, Tully said.

Illegal use of opiate-based painkillers is a big problem in Wilmington, he said, and overdoses are common.

If you mix it with methadone, he said. Its a recipe for disaster.

Mixing drugs obtained from different sources also complicates an investigation. In those cases, the cause of the overdose isnt a specific drug from a specific dealer, but rather the users decision to combine them, Tully said.

Some cases prosecuted

U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein of Maryland has prosecuted one drug dealer with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, which resulted in death a conviction punishable by 20 years to life in prison. The defendant was illegally selling prescription drugs, including methadone and various brands of oxycodone and hydrocodone, according to a statement from Rosensteins office.

Rosenstein said his office also is considering charges against several other suspected dealers in connection with overdoses.

The cases are tough, he said, because authorities must show what drug caused an overdose and also who supplied it.

Since many users take multiple drugs, bought from multiple dealers, connecting the overdose to one specific dealer is a challenge. Also, drug deals dont leave a paper trail, so connecting the dealer to his product is difficult.

Despite the challenges, Rosenstein said if overdose cases are investigated like murders, more could be prosecuted and more drug dealers could receive longer sentences.

Authorities in North Carolina also are using state law to prosecute defendants they say helped cause an overdose.

In December, Alamance County sheriffs deputies charged two women in connection with the death of a 24-year-old woman who overdosed on heroin, according to Randy Jones, public information officer for the sheriffs office.

Authorities allege the two defendants gave the victim heroin and helped her take it, Jones said. After receiving information from the public, deputies investigated and eventually charged the women with involuntary manslaughter alleging they committed an illegal act, which unintentionally resulted in death.

Like Rosenstein, Jones said each drug overdose case is different, but all are tough to trace back to a dealer and not every investigation results in criminal charges.

But the agency, he said, investigates every unattended death and handles them all as if theyre a homicide, until we know different, Jones said. We have to you dont get a second chance.

David Reynolds: 343-2075

dave.reynolds@starnewsonline.com

 

Renee Guinn and Nicholas Murray both died of drug overdoses.

 





Teen Charged With Murder In Drug Death

Victim Died From Methadone Overdose, Deputies Say

POSTED: 2:18 pm EST January 22, 2009

UPDATED: 2:19 pm EST January 22, 2009

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. -- Investigators charged a teenager on Thursday morning in connection with the death of another teenager who they said died from a drug overdose.

The Henderson County Sheriffs Office said 19-year-old Nikolas Flores was charged with second-degree murder.

Investigators said 19-year-old Christopher Waters was found dead by family members at a Mills River home on Aug. 11, 2008.

An autopsy revealed Waters died from an overdose of methadone, which investigators said he was given by Flores.

Flores was being held at the Henderson County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond.

Nikolas Flores

   Nikolas Flores                      Henderson Co. Sheriff's Office

















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We Are the Broken

 We are the broken

Our lives have changed

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We look to you

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At first you support us

Then you're not there.

 

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You see us too

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Of we, who are the broken.

 

By: Kim Lasater

Mother of Kaylin Mathews

Copyright 2009