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Williamstown woman’s OD death tied to drug dealer

By Wayne Towner

Special to the Times

WILLIAMSTOWN – For the second time in recent weeks, a Wood County law enforcement agency has filed a murder charge against a suspect in connection with a drug overdose death.

On Tuesday, the Williamstown Police Department, in conjunction with the Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force, filed a charge of first-degree murder against Christopher Scott Murvine, 27, of Parkersburg.

Williamstown Police Chief Shawn Graham said the investigation began Jan. 25 after Williamstown Police responded to a residence at 501 West Sixth St., Williamstown, and observed 23-year-old Williamstown resident Hannah N. Hescht unresponsive.

Emergency service personnel attempted to resuscitate Hescht; however, she was pronounced dead at Marietta Memorial Hospital following transport. An autopsy was performed at the Montgomery County, Ohio, Coroner’s Office and the toxicology report later showed that Hescht’s death was a result of a fentanyl overdose, Graham said.

The investigation led officers to learn that Hescht had been accompanied by Tracy Stewart, of Williamstown, to the Foodland parking lot on Plum Street in Parkersburg where Hescht paid $30 to Murvine for drugs, Graham said. Stewart overheard Murvine tell Hescht “be careful with this, it’s strong,” he said.

The investigation led officers to determine Murvine was a person of interest in the case, Graham said. On Feb. 22, Murvine was arrested by Williamstown Police Detective John Casto on unrelated charges in Parkersburg. On that date a Mirandized statement was taken from Murvine in connection to the Williamstown investigation and Murvine admitted to officers that he had allegedly sold Hescht an amount of methamphetamine on the night prior to her death, Graham said.

On March 9, investigators reviewed recorded jail phone calls of Murvine and allegedly heard Murvine make the statement that “I told them I sold her ice, buy me a little time.”

On a separate recorded phone call a conversation begins about the defendant (Murvine) should have lied and told agents that he sold her a different drug while the defendant and the person he is speaking to are laughing, Graham said. Murvine then allegedly states “I sold her heroin.”

Murvine was arraigned by video Tuesday by Wood County Magistrate Robin Waters where he was reconfined without bond.

The Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force is comprised of investigators from the Williamstown Police Department, Wood County Sheriff’s Office, Parkersburg Police Department, Vienna Police Department and the West Virginia State Police.

Graham said he believes the evidence collected in the investigation of Murvine supports the charge of murder. No overdose case is more important than any other, but when the evidence supports the charge, it should be followed through, he said.

“We feel this is the appropriate charge,” he said.

This is the second such case to be filed in Wood County this year. In March, the Parkersburg Police Department filed a murder charge against David Scott Armstrong, 26, of Parkersburg, in connection with the Jan. 31 death of 28-year-old Ryan C. Danko, from a fentanyl overdose.

In Armstrong’s case, court records indicate investigators recovered text messages between Armstrong and Danko setting up the sale and sent after it occurred. A message from Armstrong warned Danko about the potency of the drug, including that using it could be fatal, the prosecutor said.

That case will be presented at an upcoming Wood County Grand Jury. Armstrong remains in the North Central Regional Jail without bond.

With the two local cases, Graham said it may become a trend for such charges to be filed against drug dealers when the evidence supports such charges. He is hoping that will give more dealers pause, knowing that a murder charge may be filed against them in such cases. Graham believes law enforcement should use every tool in its toolbox and West Virginia code supports the type of charges being filed in these cases.

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