Alaska State Troopers have arrested a man they say provided a controlled substance to a man who ultimately died as a result of ingesting the substance.
According to an online dispatch on Thursday, troopers arrested 37-year-old Richard Morrison and charged him with manslaughter in connection with the Dec. 30 death of 37-year-old Jeremy Vandever, of Soldotna.
Vandever’s death led to a separate investigation into the sale of controlled substances, specifically methamphetamines, in the Kenai area, according to another dispatch. That investigation led to the arrests of four people, including Morrison, who was later released on bail, court records show.
Troopers continued to investigate Vandever’s death, and determined Morrison sold Vandever the substance “which directly resulted in Vandever’s death,” troopers wrote. Morrison was taken to Wildwood Pre-trial Facility in Kenai and held without bail.
Morrison faces 15 charges of misconduct involving a controlled substance, misconduct involving a weapon and reckless endangerment in connection with his January arrest, along with the recent charge of manslaughter.
