MO - Furious Friends Demand Answers After 3 Men Found Dead at Kansas City Home Days After Watching Football Game, January 2024 #4

[Curious Me]

My thought go to the three KC men that did not expect to pass away so young. Posting this also as a reminder that these type of cases are prosecuted more often than some may realize. They knew it was fentanyl pills they were dealing and continued to deal after this man died. Both these men face up to 15 years-to-life in state prison.

I don't follow sports as much as some do, but Junior Seau was a legendary football linebacker, and a celebrity around San Diego county before his death. So, this arrest of his nephew is making the news big time around here.

Micah Seau, nephew of late Chargers legend, charged with murder in 2023 fentanyl death

The charges stem from a Pacific Beach overdose in June 2023 that resulted in the death of 31-year-old Connor Gerhart.

www.cbs8.com

On Tuesday, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced murder and conspiracy charges against Sheri Cavanaugh, 59, and Micah Seau, 31, for allegedly selling fentanyl pills to a 31-year-old man who died after an overdose in Pacific Beach.
​

[...]

“These defendants were aware of the dangers of the illegal drugs they were selling and in a callous indifference to the victim’s overdose death, conspired to continue dealing this poison in our communities,” said Stephan. ​

 

[NCWatcher]

My thought go to the three KC men that did not expect to pass away so young. Posting this also as a reminder that these type of cases are prosecuted more often than some may realize. They knew it was fentanyl pills they were dealing and continued to deal after this man died. Both these men face up to 15 years-to-life in state prison.

I don't follow sports as much as some do, but Junior Seau was a legendary football linebacker, and a celebrity around San Diego county before his death. So, this arrest of his nephew is making the news big time around here.

Micah Seau, nephew of late Chargers legend, charged with murder in 2023 fentanyl death

The charges stem from a Pacific Beach overdose in June 2023 that resulted in the death of 31-year-old Connor Gerhart.

www.cbs8.com

On Tuesday, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced murder and conspiracy charges against Sheri Cavanaugh, 59, and Micah Seau, 31, for allegedly selling fentanyl pills to a 31-year-old man who died after an overdose in Pacific Beach.
​

[...]

“These defendants were aware of the dangers of the illegal drugs they were selling and in a callous indifference to the victim’s overdose death, conspired to continue dealing this poison in our communities,” said Stephan. ​

I agree it's a shame the 3 men died. But so far as I can tell, all the links about homicide prosecutions for selling fentanyl posted on WS have involved cases where the seller knew he/she was selling fentanyl and in many of the cases, the victim buyer was specifically seeking fentanyl pills.

Because we don't know who supplied the drugs in this case, we don't know if #1 is true. But #2 seems pretty unlikely to me.

It's also true that a new MO drug law proposed in fall 2023 failed to be enacted. It would have increased penalties (up to 30 years) for knowingly delivering a controlled substance that’s mixed with another controlled substance if it results in serious physical injury or death. (Of course, there are already laws against distributing fentanyl but penalties are less severe.)

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article282426728.html

MOO

 

[Curious Me]

...Because we don't know who supplied the drugs in this case, we don't know if #1 is true. But #2 seems pretty unlikely to me.

Got to have hope this can be controlled better someday. Technicalities aside, hope it crosses minds that the person or people involved in supplying the three could know full well that they caused deaths, and still be out there indifferent to the death of these three men-- and they could very well still be in the supply chain business as usual, or even small time dealing.

LE is very serious about prosecuting here if there's a fatality. Once there's a fatality, you're more likely on their radar. Being so close to the Mexican border agencies work together. They can go after the smaller to locate the bigger source. ​

 

[NCWatcher]

Got to have hope this can be controlled better someday. Technicalities aside, hope it crosses minds that the person or people involved in supplying the three could know full well that they caused deaths, and still be out there indifferent to the death of these three men-- and they could very well still be in the supply chain business as usual, or even small time dealing.

LE is very serious about prosecuting here if there's a fatality. Once there's a fatality, you're more likely on their radar. Being so close to the Mexican border agencies work together. They can go after the smaller to locate the bigger source. ​

Could be. We just don't know where the drugs the 3 men used came from or have any way to know if the seller knew he was selling fentanyl or if the men were specifically seeking fentanyl (although I personally doubt they were.) People knowingly selling fentanyl and people knowingly buying it have been the case in the other links posted here about prosecuting dealers and are more than technicalities it seems to me.

Regardless, control of the fentanyl problem isn't going to come from prosecuting street-level dealers IMO. Sometimes busted dealers will rat out those higher up-- that's traditionally been the approach to illegal drug prosecutions-- give immunity or attractive plea deals to low level sellers in order to catch bigger fish. But we all know where the fentanyl and precursor chemicals used to make it are ultimately coming from. With suppliers receiving explicit support from some foreign governments, it seems we won't win the battle against fentanyl the traditional way. And when there is a death, I'm not sure how likely it would be that the actual seller would be given a break in order to convince him to help catch others higher up the chain.

We obviously don't know everything LE is doing or has done in this case. But we do know from the start, despite some family members outright claiming the men were "murdered" the police have stated their investigation wasn't a homicide investigation. But things may be happening. The latest update I've seen (April 24)

https://fox4kc.com/news/months-after-3-men-found-dead-in-northland-backyard-families-still-await-answers/

"New on Wednesday, we now know that the Platte County Prosecutor’s Office is in communication with the fifth man’s lawyer."

As we've discussed before, the fifth man arrived later than the others and reportedly left around midnight. He said the 3 men and JW were watching Jeopardy when he left. He quickly lawyered up after the bodies were found. It's not surprising there might be communication but I'd not seen it reported anywhere else.
MOO
Edit: typo

 

[JDG]

Shock update in case of Chiefs fans found frozen to death outside

The bodies of David Harrington, Ricky Johnson and Clayton McGeeney were found in the backyard of their friend Jordan Willis's home in Kansas City, Missouri, in January.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[tlcya]

not shocking and not really an update. MOO

We knew the preliminary tox results months back. LE told us months ago they didn't consider anything as foul play and indicated they would be not launching a murder investigation. Again, I get the families wishes to see someone pay for their loved ones' deaths. But we may never know who the dealer was let alone if that person knew it was laced, if they got it that way and from who, etc. I have sympathy for their loss, but I don't think they will get the sort of satisfaction they are looking for.

 

[PrairieWind]

not shocking and not really an update. MOO

We knew the preliminary tox results months back. LE told us months ago they didn't consider anything as foul play and indicated they would be not launching a murder investigation. Again, I get the families wishes to see someone pay for their loved ones' deaths. But we may never know who the dealer was let alone if that person knew it was laced, if they got it that way and from who, etc. I have sympathy for their loss, but I don't think they will get the sort of satisfaction they are looking for.

I think you are correct. In the Matthew Perry overdose case, it appears the police have a pretty good trail to get to who supplied the drugs and going to charge someone. But here, I suspect that the person that brought the drugs and knew where they came from is dead. The police may well suspect where they were obtained, but will never be able to prove it. Very sad. it has to be very tough for the families because the deaths are just so senseless.