Michael Pasterchik enters an Allen County courtroom Tuesday for the start of his trial on two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Pasterchik is accused of providing narcotic drugs that led to the overdose deaths of two women in 2020.
J Swygart | The Lima News
LIMA — Jurors in the trial of a Lima man who prosecutors say provided the illicit drugs that caused the deaths of two young women were almost immediately greeted by photos of one of the deceased females when testimony got underway Tuesday in Allen County Common Pleas Court.
Michael Pasterchik, 30, is on trial in connection with the overdose deaths of Jennifer Moyer on April 25 of 2020 as well as Jessica Judy in September of the same year.
Pasterchik was indicted by the November 2020 session of the Allen County grand jury on counts of corrupting another with drugs and involuntary manslaughter, both felonies of the first degree, for causing the death of Moyer.
He was indicted again one month later on an involuntary manslaughter charge related to Judy’s death. In that incident, police responded to a residence in the 700 block of North Main Street and found an unresponsive female suffering from an apparent drug overdose. The woman, later identified as Judy, was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later.
The woman’s boyfriend told police she had purchased heroin earlier in the evening from a subject she called “Mikey,” according to court documents.
Police took the phone into evidence, reportedly finding Facebook messages between the deceased and Pasterchik describing a place to meet for the alleged drug transaction.
Moyer’s death is opening day focus
Tuesday’s testimony focused on the death of the 25-year-old Moyer, whose grandmother told jurors had been battling drug addiction.
“She told me she had a problem and that she needed help,” Terri Ley recalled. “She mentioned fentanyl.”
The woman said her granddaughter was upset after her three young children were removed from her home by Children Services personnel in March of 2020 upon the suspicion of her drug use.
Ley said she had taken Moyer to visit her children in Marblehead on the day before her death. On the morning of April 25, 2020, Ley said she got a call from Pasterchik — whom she said “randomly” stayed at Moyer’s residence. Pasterchik said he had found Moyer face down in her bathtub that morning.
Former Lima Police Department patrolman Justin Halker was the first to arrive at the Brower Road residence after Pasterchik placed a 911 call. He testified that Pasterchik said he found Moyer face down in the bathtub and that he turned her body over and attempted live-saving efforts.
Halker said rigor mortis had set in by the time he arrived, and jurors were shown a photo of the lifeless woman still in the bathtub.
LPD Detective Brian Snyder testified that while processing the crime scene several aerosol cans of dust cleaner, “which we believed (Moyer) may have used to get high,” were found in the home. Also located were several syringes and folded pieces of paper which Snyder said are consistent with packaging for illicit narcotics.
In opening statements to jurors, Assistant Allen County Prosecuting Attorney Destiny Caldwell said testimony will show that Pasterchik was providing fentanyl to Moyer in exchange for staying at her home.
Caldwell described Judy, the other alleged victim, as someone Pasterchik “knew for a number of years.” The prosecutor said evidence will show that Pasterchik provided heroin that was found in her system.
The Lucas County Coroner’s Office determined that both Moyer and Judy died of combined drug overdoses, Caldwell said.
Testimony in the trial will resume Wednesday morning.
