COVINGTON, LA — The Saint Tammany Parish District Attorney’s Office announced the indictments of two men who are accused of causing the death of a woman who overdosed on heroin. A grand jury handed up second degree murder indictments against both men.
According to prosecutors, 39-year-old Oren Bowens of Slidell provided the drugs and 26-year-old Warren Brown of Pearl River was the victim’s girlfriend.
On October 16, 2017, 23-year-old Shantell Jackson died at the hospital after ingesting heroin. Prosecutors say her cause of death was heroin toxicity.
In February, after toxicity reports on Jackson were complete, arrest warrants were issued for both men. The Saint Tammany Parish Sheriff’s office previously reported that deputies arrested Bowens at his home. Deputies say that when they searched the building, they found additional drugs.
Along with the murder charge, Bowens faces additional drug charges.
Deputies say that in February, Brown was already in jail for a probation violation.
The sheriff’s office and prosecutors say that they hope the indictments will send a message that the people who sell or provide drugs in the parish will be aggressively prosecuted.