Murder Charge In Overdose Death Dismissed

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - A murder charge in a Minnesota overdose death has been dismissed because of insufficient evidence.

Twenty-eight-year-old Jason Karl Laubach had been charged with third-degree murder when prosecutors accused him of providing methadone to Joe DeRusha in September 2009. An autopsy by the St. Louis County medical examiner concluded DeRusha died of an overdose of three drugs, including methadone.

Carlton County Attorney Thom Petier told the Duluth News Tribune Wednesday that upon further discussion with the medical examiner and other experts, he could not prove it was the methadone alone that caused DeRusha's death.

Laubach denies supplying methadone or any other drug to DeRusha.

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