Perryville overdoses raise drug arrests

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The father of one of three drug overdose victims found dead in December is among six people arrested on drug-related charges. None of the arrests has been directly linked to the deaths, said Perryville police chief Keith Tarrillion. A result of the investigation into the accidental deaths is an increase in drug-related arrests in the two months since then, Tarrillion said.

"During our investigation, we were able to obtain intelligence information on several people who were selling prescription drugs and cocaine in the Perryville area," Tarrillion said.

While awaiting the autopsy reports on the victims and investigating their deaths, Tarrillion said, investigators were also making inroads on drug activity in Perryville.

Tarrillion said his department is being assisted in the investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency, Missouri Division of Narcotics, SEMO Drug Task Force, Perry County Sheriff's Department and area pharmacies.

Autopsy and toxicology screenings just completed show that three Perryville residents -- Michelle Welty, Dean Novak Jr. and Dwayne Hill -- died from accidental drug overdoses. Welty, 35, and Novak, 19, both died in their homes from lethal doses of OxyContin, Tarrillion said. Hill, 29, found in a field on Nov. 30, died from a seizure caused by the abuse of cocaine, the autopsy revealed.

The use of illegal drugs, especially OxyContin, has been a problem in Perryville for some time, Tarrillion said.

"Over the past three years our department has investigated six drug overdoses. In five of the six, OxyContin was the contributing factor which led to the victim's death," he said.

Welty was found to have died from an overdose of OxyContin. Novak's autopsy revealed the presence of OxyContin, hydrocodone -- both narcotic pain relievers -- and Citalopram, which is also known as Celexa, used to treat depression. OxyContin was the main cause of death.

The three victims were all reported to have attended the same party prior to their deaths, but Tarrillion said that police believe Novak and Welty may have died from drugs they bought from individuals at their residences prior to that party. The chief said he anticipates more arrests as the investigation continues.

"There is still a good possibility we will make an arrest of the people who sold drugs to these people," Tarrillion said.

Arrested were:

* Louis C. Curry, 37, of Cape Girardeau, on suspicion of drug trafficking. Perryville police received information that Curry was buying crack cocaine from out of state. Curry was allegedly transporting the cocaine back into Missouri and selling it in Perryville. He is currently in federal custody.

* Susan K. Favier, 55, of Perryville, charged with filing a false police report to obtain a prescription drug. Favier was arrested after filing a police report on Jan. 11 in which she allegedly reported her prescriptions stolen. During the investigation it was discovered that Favier had falsified a police report to get a new prescription for a controlled substance. She was released on a $1,000 bond.

* Gary S. Repp, 33, of Perryville, charged with theft of prescription pills. Repp was charged in connection with the theft of prescription drugs from a Perryville residence. He was released on a $5,000 cash bond.

* Joy A. Brown, 28, Perryville, charged with filing a false police report and two counts of fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance. According to Perryville police, Brown filed a report Dec. 16, 2004, stating that her prescription drugs had been stolen. During the course of the investigation, police say they discovered her prescriptions were never stolen and that Brown had given her doctor false information so she could get two more prescriptions for controlled substances. She was released on a $5,000 cash-only bond and is currently in a drug rehabilitation facility.

* Christina Oster, 34, of St. Mary, Mo., charged with fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance. On Jan. 19, Oster was arrested on suspicion of fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance. Over the past several months, according to police, Oster obtained 26 different prescriptions from a local pharmacy. She was released after posting $1,000 bond.

* Michael Welty, 55, Perryville, charged with tampering with evidence. During the investigation of his daughter Michelle's death, he allegedly removed evidence from the scene, police said. The evidence was later located in some bushes near an apartment building. Shortly after his daughter's death, Welty was arrested on charges of distribution of a controlled substance. Welty posted a $10,000 cash bond.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160