Three people have been indicted in connection with the drug overdose death of a 26-year-old Jasper man, which was announced Monday afternoon during a press conference at the Walker County Sheriff’s Office.
Landon Tyler Rader died at a home on Laura Drive on March 27. The three charged in his death are Jamie Landon Rader, 48, Ryan Dustin Clark, 24 and Tonya Keene, 43.
Jamie Rader is the victim’s father. Sheriff’s office officials said the other two suspects were neighbors.
“It is monumental to Walker County as it’s the first time murder charges have been brought because of a drug overdose,’’ said Sheriff Nick Smith. “We want this to serve as a deterrent for others to know that if you cause a death by providing drugs to someone, you can be held responsible.”
Smith said a Walker County grand jury issued the indictment against the men on July 25 on charges of felony murder, manslaughter and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. All three are being held in the Walker County Jail on $250,000 cash bonds each.
“What makes this one more significant than a regular overdose is that this was a forced ingestion,’’ Smith said. “This was not just an individual who voluntarily took a controlled substance.”
Smith said Rader’s death happened after a a “forced ingestion of drugs.” Officials did not report what drugs were found in the victim’s system.
The entire press conference by the WCSO can be viewed on The Community Journal’s Facebook page.
