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Two arrested in connection with Waynesburg man’s overdose death

By Jon Andreassi 3 min read
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Tiffany Gump
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Jake Finogle

Waynesburg police arrested two people who are accused of providing a man with fentanyl-laced marijuana, leading to his death.

Jake Anthony Finogle, 24, and Tiffany Lee Gump, 28, both of Waynesburg, each face a felony charge of drug delivery resulting in death.

The charges filed this week stem from the June 19 death of Taylor Lee Arthur, 25. According to the criminal complaint, Waynesburg police discovered Arthur’s body along train tracks near the 800 block of East Greene Street.

A woman told police that Finogle and Gump dropped off a bag of clothes belonging to Arthur at her home, and on Tuesday, police interviewed Gump and questioned why she and Finogle were in possession of Arthur’s belongings.

Gump initially told police they took the items from the scene after police discovered Arthur’s body. When investigators said that was impossible because police had already thoroughly searched the scene, Gump allegedly confessed to being involved in Arthur’s death.

She reportedly told investigators that she and Finogle laced marijuana with fentanyl with the intent of having Arthur smoke it to cause his overdose and death, the complaint states.

After Arthur smoked the marijuana, he began stumbling, court documents state. Gump told police that they put a pillow and blanket under him and left the scene.

Gump also named a third person involved in the case, but as of Thursday’s deadline no additional criminal charges had been filed.

Police said Finogle mostly corroborated Gump’s version of events, but he claimed that he told Arthur the marijuana was laced with fentanyl before giving it to him.

The charges filed in Arthur’s death differ from charges filed earlier this year in another overdose death.

Roy Allen Keener, 44, of Dunkard Township, was charged with both drug delivery resulting in death and a general count of criminal homicide for allegedly selling fentanyl-laced heroin to Michael Palmer, 26, of Greensboro.

The general charge of criminal homicide includes first-, second- and third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and voluntary manslaughter. A first-degree murder conviction would result in an automatic life sentence.

At Keener’s preliminary hearing in February, Greene County District Attorney Brianna Vanata argued the homicide charge was justified because Keener knew the heroin was laced and potentially deadly. She also said that Palmer was unaware he was receiving fentanyl.

It is not clear why Gump and Finogle aren’t charged with homicide in addition to drug delivery resulting in death. Vanata did not return phone calls seeking comment by Thursday’s deadline.

Finogle and Gump also face a misdemeanor charge of tampering with evidence. Both were arraigned Wednesday before District Judge David Balint, who sent them to the Greene County jail without bond.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. July 10.

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