PENN TOWNSHIP, Lancaster County — A man and a woman from Penn Township have both been charged with supplying the drugs that caused a Manheim man to fatally overdose in December, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
Justina L. Heisey, 56, and Justin D. Zelek, 23, are charged with three felonies in connection to the fatal overdose of a 48-year-old Manheim man on Dec. 16, 2017.
Heisey and Zelek, both of East Mount Hope Road, were arraigned Tuesday after being arrested without incident in their home Monday night. Bail was set at $500,000 apiece. They are both charged with drug delivery resulting in death, conspiracy, and criminal use of a cellphone, according to the district attorney’s office.
The victim was found dead in his home on East Mount Hope Road on Dec. 16. Police found several baggies with brand names, consistent with the kind of baggies used to package heroin, at the scene.
An autopsy revealed the victim died of an overdose of heroin and fentanyl.
Police used cellphone analysis to determine the victim was in contact with Heisey and Zelek to purchase the heroin. Text messages discussed cost and the quality of the drugs.
One text message, believed to be sent by Zelek to the victim, stated the drugs were “20 times better than anything we’ve ever had before,” according to the district attorney’s office.
