A Missouri woman is facing murder charges in connection with a man’s drug overdose in late July. The defendant, who is a resident of Eldon, was arrested on Aug. 1.
According to a probable cause statement by the Eldon Police Department, officers were called to the defendant’s home on July 27. When they arrived, they found an unresponsive man lying on the floor. The Miller County coroner was called to the scene and pronounced the man dead. Autopsy results have not yet been released, but the man is believed to have died of a heroin overdose.
Members of the man’s family reportedly told officers that the defendant injected him with heroin just before he died. However, the defendant disputes that she directly injected him, claiming that she only gave him the drug. She further claims that she purchased the drug from another man who was arrested for stabbing her husband on July 26. She has been charged with second-degree murder and is being held in the Miller County Jail with no bond.
Individuals charged with murder or other violent crimes can face harsh consequences in Missouri. For example, defendants convicted of second-degree murder can be sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison without the possibility of parole. However, with the help of a criminal defense attorney, it may be possible for murder defendants to successfully fight the charges and protect their future. In some cases, an attorney may scrutinize the evidence, challenge the prosecution’s case and fight to get the charges dismissed. In other situations, legal counsel might advise negotiating a plea deal that allows the defendant to plead guilty to reduced charges. This strategy may help the defendant avoid a trial and help him or her obtain a more lenient sentence.
