Third person arrested in Carbon County overdose death

Third person arrested in Carbon County overdose death

(Photo: Price Police Department)


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PRICE — A third person has been arrested in connection with the December 2013 overdose death of a Price man.

Jared Jason Jaimez and Shelbi Elizabeth Mower, both 37, are already charged in 7th District Court with manslaughter and distribution of a controlled substance, both second-degree felonies. On Saturday, Price police arrested Amee Lavon Averett, 23, for investigation of identical offenses.

Jaimez, Mower and Averett all engaged in reckless conduct that caused the Dec. 23 death of Trevor Jay “TJ” Whiteside, according to Price Police Capt. Bill Barnes. Whiteside, 47, died from a heroin overdose, court records show.

Investigators knew shortly after Whiteside's death that Jaimez and Mower were involved, but only learned on Friday that Averett was involved as well, according to Barnes.

"The investigation was immediately reopened," the captain said.

During a subsequent interview, Averett provided detectives with information about Whiteside's death that led to her arrest and appeared to further confirm the involvement of Jaimez and Mower, Barnes said. There is also forensic evidence that confirms the details of Averett’s statement to police, the captain said.

Averett is tied to another drug-related death in Price as well. On Oct. 3 she was charged with making a false written statement to police, a class B misdemeanor, in connection with the death of Brian William Swink.

Firefighters found Swink's body in the basement of a Price home after extinguishing a fire there on July 29. Carbon County prosecutors say James William Pendleton Jr., Ashley Ann Platt and Michael John Dees kidnapped Swink, 32, and locked him in the basement, where Swink started the fire that took his life.

"We're not sure if he was trying to retaliate or trying to get the attention of (Pendleton, Platt and Dees) upstairs," Carbon County Attorney Gene Strate said.


The investigation was immediately reopened.

–Bill Barnes, Price Police Capt.


Strate charged Pendleton, Platt and Dees with murder, a first-degree felony, aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony, and criminal conspiracy, a second-degree felony. Pendleton is also charged with aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.

Court records show Pendleton, Platt, Dees and Swink were all well-known to Carbon County law enforcement.

Pendleton, 39, has a rap sheet that includes dozens of arrests and convictions for offenses that include possession of a controlled substance, failure to stop for police, attempted burglary, attempted forgery, criminal mischief and violation of a protective order.

In late March, he was arrested after a man told Price police Pendleton attacked him with a baseball bat without provocation. The victim was "savagely beaten," according to investigators, and had to be hospitalized in an intensive care unit.

When police pulled Pendleton over after the alleged assault, Platt and Dees were in the car with him. Officers said they also found drug paraphernalia and almost 10 grams of methamphetamine inside the car. Pendleton was arrested but posted bail and was released.

Court records for Platt, 21, show convictions for unlawful acquisition of a financial transaction card, illegally obtaining identifying documents of another person, possession of drug paraphernalia and DUI.

Dees, 38, has convictions for attempted unlawful sexual activity with a minor, attempted burglary, theft by receiving stolen property and interfering with an arresting officer, according to court records.

Court records show Swink had prior convictions for aggravated robbery, attempted burglary, assault, drug possession and criminal mischief. At the time of his death, he had two cases pending in Helper City Justice Court, where he was charged with making a threat of violence, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.

A preliminary hearing for Pendleton, Platt and Dees was held Oct. 15. A judge is weighing whether the trio should be bound over for trial on the charges and is expected to issue a ruling in December.

Averett remained in the Carbon County Jail on Monday. No formal charges have been filed against her for her alleged role in Whiteside's death.

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Geoff Liesik

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