Arraignment next week in Perryville overdose case

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A Fredericktown, Mo., man charged with murder after allegedly giving drugs to a woman found dead in a hotel room had his case bound over to Perry County Circuit Court on Tuesday and will appear in court again next week.

Steven A. Harbour, 25, will appear Oct. 21 for arraignment for a second-degree murder charge.

Harbour was originally charged only with distributing controlled substances on the night of Nicole Jones' death in June, but the charge was upgraded to murder in August.

The body of Jones, 20, of Perryville, was discovered June 25 at the Super 8 hotel in Perryville. A toxicology report showed her death was due to an alcohol and drug overdose.

In amending the charge to murder, Perry County Prosecuting Attorney Thomas L. Hoeh alleges Harbour supplied Jones with a deadly cocktail of painkillers, antidepressants and alcohol.

When first questioned by police at the scene, Harbour told officers his drugs were locked up in the hotel room's safe, according to court records. He said he wasn't in the room all the time but his key was in the room, so it was possible someone had gotten to his pills.

Harbour told police that he gave Jones three oxyocodone, three clonazepam and three amitriptyline, according to court records. Harbour also told police he bought alcohol that Jones and another underage girl consumed.

psullivan@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

1119 Vincent Drive, Perryville, MO