A tragic incident in Alabama has resulted in felony murder charges for a father and two neighbors after a man died from a drug overdose. Landon Tyler Rader, 26, was found dead in a Jasper home on March 27, allegedly after being forced to consume meth and amphetamines by his father, Jamie Landon Rader, and neighbors Ryan Dustin Clark and Tonya Raye Keene.
The Walker County Sheriff’s Office has brought forth charges of felony murder, manslaughter, and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. This case marks the first time in the county’s history that murder charges have been filed in connection with a drug overdose.
When they got to the scene, law enforcement officials quickly realized that this was not a typical overdose case. The circumstances surrounding Rader’s death prompted a months-long investigation by the police. Sheriff Nick Smith stated during a press conference that what sets this case apart is the fact that Rader’s ingestion of drugs was forced upon him, rather than being a voluntary act.
Captain Darrell Mote added that not only was Rader compelled to take the drugs, but the three suspects also failed to call 911 or provide any assistance to the dying man. Mote emphasized that if emergency services had been contacted earlier or if NARCAN, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, had been administered, Rader might still be alive today.
Prior to their arrest, the accused father had been active on social media, vehemently denying any involvement in his son’s death and accusing others of spreading baseless conspiracy theories. In a Facebook post on March 30th, he urged people to refrain from speculating about the circumstances surrounding his son’s passing. On Sunday, the three suspects were apprehended and booked at the Walker County Jail. They are currently being held on a $250,000 bond each.