WELCH — A McDowell County woman who provided drugs to another woman, who died a short time later after ingesting the narcotics, has been convicted on a charge of first-degree murder, prosecutors said Thursday.
Brenda Jean Bachelor, 47, of Panther, pleaded guilty Wednesday in McDowell County Circuit Court to a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the April 13, 2006 overdose death of Tina Marie Estep, 27, of Cub Creek, Prosecuting Attorney Bell said.
Bell said Estep died of respiratory arrest after ingesting the narcotic drug fentanyl from a duragesic patch sold to her for $50 by Bachelor.
Bachelor was originally charged with felony murder. Under West Virginia law, Bell said felony murder is classified as first-degree murder and is committed if a person dies as a result of an unlawful sale of a controlled substance.
“We certainly hope it sends a message because so many people think there isn’t anything wrong with selling dangerous prescription narcotics to people,” Bell said.
Bachelor was indicted during the June session of the McDowell County grand jury on a charge of felony murder.
Bell said the state medical examiner also found that Estep had a toxic level of propoxyphene in her blood from the medication Darvon ,which had also been sold to her by Bachelor.
“She sold the narcotics to the victim, and a brief period later after the transaction occurred, Mrs. Estepp passed away,” Sheriff’s Department Deputy Ron Blevins, who investigated the case, said.
"Deputy Sheriff Ron Blevins skillfully interviewed the defendant in May of this year at Lakin State Prison for Women after she told the prison staff what she had done,” Bell said in a press release issued Thursday. “The defendant was serving a sentence for an unrelated crime. Deputy Blevins then confirmed the defendant’s admissions from pharmacy records and the medical examiner’s findings before the case was presented to the grand jury.”
According to Bell, Bachelor told the court that she knew within an hour of her sale of drugs to Estep that she had died of a drug overdose.
Bell said Circuit Judge Rudolph J. Murensky, II, sentenced Bachelor to life in prison with a recommendation of mercy in accordance with the plea agreement. With the mercy recommendation, Bachelor will be eligible for parole after 15 years.
“She told the judge very clearly that she realized that she was guilty of felony murder and she wanted to take responsibility for it,” Bell said.
Bell said fentanyl patches are a pain release medication that are intended to be consumed over an extended period of time.
“It’s 72 hours worth of medication in the patch,” Blevins said.
Bell said Assistant Public Defender Jennifer Alvarez represented Bachelor at Wednesday’s sentencing.
– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com
Local News
September 3, 2009
Woman pleads guilty to first-degree murder
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