LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Police have accused a man of hiding the body of a heroin overdose victim inside a wooden box he built and leaving it in a wooded area in southern Louisville.
Media outlets report that 39-year-old Derek Roark of Morehead was arrested Tuesday on charges of abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence.
Louisville Police Sgt. Emily McKinley says the victim, 55-year-old Jeffrey David Kingdon, and Roark were staying at a house in Louisville when the overdose occurred. Kingdon’s body was found Oct. 13 by people riding all-terrain vehicles. Kingdon’s last known address was in Fort Worth, Texas.
Police believe Roark performed CPR on Kingdon and was able to revive him, but refused to call 911.
McKinley says police found materials used to build a box at the Louisville house.