(MITCHELL) – A Mitchell man was arrested after police say he sold heroin that was laced with Fentanyl to 53-year-old Kevin S. Bowden.
Bowden died after taking the drug.
On Tuesday evening, officers from the Mitchell Police Department were able to serve an arrest warrant on 48-year-old Jackie D. Leatherman, of Mitchell, on a felony charge of dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death.
According to police, on Jan. 9th Roxanne Knowles found Bowden dead in his apartment at 403 West Warren Street. Knowles is Bowden’s ex-wife.
Knowles told police she had attempted to contact Bowden and had gotten no response. Knowles then called Rebecca Edmondson who told Knowles she thought Bowden had overdosed the night before. After that call, Knowles went to Bowden’s apartment on West Warren Street and found him dead inside. She called the police.
At 7:33 p.m. Indiana State Police with the assistance of Mitchell Police officers executed a search warrant at Bowden’s home.
Bowden’s body was transported to the Lawrence County Coroner’s Office for an autopsy.
On January 9th, ISP Detective Joshua Allen conducted an interview with Jackie Leatherman.
Leatherman told police that he knew about the overdose death of Kevin Bowden. Leatherman at first lied about his involvement with Bowden. Leatherman indicated that he did not know anything about how Bowden could have gotten the heroin he had overdosed on.
Leatherman then changed his story and told police that he was purchasing heroin from Josh Clevenger for $160 a gram. Leatherman confessed that he had overdosed on this same heroin in the past. Leatherman also confessed that his girlfriend Lindsey Eggles had also overdosed on the heroin that he got from Clevenger.
Leatherman indicated that he knew the heroin was “hot” and probably contained fentanyl.
Leatherman confessed that he had an interaction with the Mitchell Police Officers before selling the heroin to Bowden. Leatherman told police that he dropped approximately 3 tenths of a gram of heroin during the interaction. Leatherman indicated that his girlfriend Eggles picked up the heroin and later that day Leatherman got the heroin back from Eggles.
Leatherman indicated that he sold 1/10th of a gram of that heroin to Kevin Bowden for $30 on January 8th around 9 p.m. The transaction took place at Bowden’s apartment. Leatherman told police that he suspected Bowden took the drug shortly after he left Bowden’s apartment
On January 9th, ISP Detective Joshua Allen interviewed Lindsey Eggles. She admitted to picking up the heroin that Leatherman dropped and that Leatherman had sold the drug to Bowden. Eggles told police that she didn’t see Leatherman sell the heroin to Bowden but Leatherman had told her he did.
On January 15th, ISP Detective Allen again interviewed Jackie Leatherman and he changed his story saying Eggles had sold the heroin to Bowden.
He then changed his story again saying he had given the heroin to Bowden. Leatherman said Bowden “wanted some” and he took it and went into the bathroom.
Leatherman stated, “I didn’t think he would do it and die.”
Leatherman told police that Kevin said, “I just want to OD and die.”
Leatherman again indicated he gave Bowden heroin, and that was the last time he spoke to Bowden.
At the end of the interview, Leatherman said, “I did give him the heroin, and he went to the bathroom to do it, and we took off.”
During the interview, Leatherman again indicated the heroin came from Josh Clevenger. Leatherman indicated the heroin was “strong”.
On February 19th police received the autopsy report from Coroner Rob Herr. Forensic Pathologist Doctor James Jacobi completed the autopsy and prepared the report. The following is the opinion documented by Dr. Jacobi:
“Death in this 53-year-old man is attributed to Fentanyl toxicity by injection. Moderate methamphetamine toxicity and moderately advanced cardiomyopathy are interpreted as contributory to the cause of death.”
Police allege Jackie Leatherman sold, provided and/or delivered the heroin, containing fentanyl, to Kevin Bowden on January 8, 2020, that ultimately resulted in Kevin Bowden’s death.
