Police accuse man of injecting heroin into roommate, who dies
A Uniontown man was charged with involuntary manslaughter and drug delivery resulting in death for allegedly shooting his roommate up with heroin that police believe killed the man.
Terrence Lee Kelly, 42, reportedly told Southwest Regional Police Lt. Stephen Schwartz first that he shot up Brian Johnson with heroin, but later told police that he only gave instructions on how to do it, according to a complaint in the matter.
Johnson, 42, was found dead in bed at 323 Green St. in Belle Vernon around 5:20 p.m. Sept. 4, 2013. Police said they found Kelly lying at the foot of the bed.
Schwartz said that it wasn’t Kelly who made the 911 call alerting police that Johnson might have been dead — rather two men with whom Kelly was reportedly drinking an hour before the 911 call was made.
Kelly told the men that “Opie,” Johnson’s nickname, had died that day, according to court papers. When the men asked Kelly if he had called police, he told them no, because he did not want to do it “in my condition,” Schwartz wrote.
Kelly also expressed concern that he would be blamed for Johnson’s death, police alleged.
Schwartz said that a confidential informant told police that he delivered drugs to Kelly and Johnson.
In an interview on Sept. 5, 2013, Kelly reportedly told police that he and Johnson drove to buy heroin the day before, and returned to Green Street to shoot up. There, police said, Kelly told them that he shot up two stamp bags worth of heroin into Johnson’s arm.
The complaint noted that Kelly told police he was nervous about doing that because the heroin was supposed to be particularly potent. He also noted that Johnson did not typically inject drugs or use heroin, the complaint alleged.
Kelly injected heroin, he left the apartment and when he returned, he could not find the remaining stamp bags, according to the complaint. He reportedly told police Johnson might have snorted them.
Kelly allegedly told police that Johnson “did not look good at all,” and when mouth-to-mouth resuscitation did not help, he gathered up the empty stamp bags and syringe and “threw it into the Mon,” police said.
The case was filed before Magisterial District Judge Richard Kasunic II, who will schedule a preliminary hearing at a later date.