Vegas man charged with murder in drug overdose - FOX5 Vegas - KVVU

Vegas man charged with murder in drug overdose

Posted: Updated:
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -

Las Vegas police said a 26-year-old man booked into the Clark County Detention Center this week admitted to providing and cooking a batch of heroin that led to a person's death late last year.

Andrew Garcia-Rivas was charged with second degree murder and possession of a controlled substance in connection to the October 2011 death of 27-year-old Nicholas Baranchia.

According to a Metro warrant declaration released by the Clark County District Attorney's office, Garcia-Rivas cooked up an unspecified amount of heroin upon request by a friend, Ryan Jackson, 27, and Baranchia at his home in the early morning hours of October 15.

Garcia-Rivas provided a hypodermic syringe for the two to inject the drug in their veins, the report said. The two then began passing out and both became unresponsive.

Garcia-Rivas told officers he had tried reviving them before calling for emergency medical response.

Medical personnel at Mountain View Hospital were able to revive Jackson but Baranchia later died.

Investigators learned Garcia-Rivas was offered $20 for the drugs before the two injected themselves.

Garcia-Rivas stated to police that he "cooked up" the substance in his home but didn't feel like he "killed anybody."

Police also recovered a small bag containing heroin and the syringe believed to be used in the incident.

The Clark County Coroner originally ruled Baranchia's death accidental due to combined ethanol, cocaine and heroin intoxication.

When asked by investigators, though, the coroner affirmed the level of heroin in Baranchia's system was lethal enough to change the manner of his death to homicide.

Garcia-Rivas was booked also on two counts of sale of a controlled substance.

Copyright 2012 KVVU (KVVU Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved.

Powered by WorldNow
Fox 5
Powered by WorldNow CNN
All content © 2013, KVVU Broadcasting Corporation, Las Vegas, NV and WorldNow. All Rights Reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.