Incident #23-01647/Death Investigation/Drug Delivery Resulting in Death
On February 24, 2023 Agents from Williamsport City Police Criminal Investigative Division responded to 900 Funston Ave for a report of an overdose death. Upon arrival, officers located a male deceased from an apparent overdose. Also located was a Narcan dispenser near the decedent. Within the residence at the time were HARVEY EDWARDS and KASHA BASSETT who were both already on Lycoming County Probation. Both EDWARDS and BASSETT were taken into custody by Probation and transported to Lycoming County Prison. BASSETT indicated to officers that EDWARDS was responsible for the overdose death.
Upon search of EDWARDS, officers located (13) blue waxen heroin bags stamped "The North Face", a rolled up dollar bill for snorting, Narcan instructions and a cell phone. On February 25, 2023 UPMC paramedics contacted police advising they had responded the day prior near 900 Funston Ave to a man down who was also in possession of the blue wax bags stamped "The North Face" as seized from EDWARDS.
On March 30, 2023 autopsy toxicology results for the deceased male were received which indicated a cause of death to be Fentanyl and Xylazine with cocaine as a contributing factor. Search warrants executed by Agents revealed drug transactions on cell phones belonging to the involved parties from the evening prior to the male's overdose death.
BASSETT indicated to police that on the day of the overdose death, ANTOINETTE SLATER AKA "Cherry" arrived at the residence with a black male identified later as EDWARDS. BASSETT indicated that she had observed a rolled up dollar and a brown powder residence on a table near EDWARDS and the male. The male indicated to BASSETT he was not feeling well before collapsing in his bedroom.
Cell phone evidence also corroborated that SLATER and EDWARDS had transported the Xylazine/Fentanyl bags from Philadelphia before distributing them in the area.
On 04/20/2023, HARVEY EDWARDS was arraigned before MDJ FREY on Drug Delivery Resulting in Death and related charges. EDWARDS was committed to Lycoming County Prison on $200,000 straight bail.
