An Ada woman helped prepare and distribute a “designer drug” that killed her and sickened seven others, one critically, at a party near Konowa, court papers show.
Anastasia “Stacy” Marie Jewell, 21, died at Integris Seminole Medical Center after ingesting 2C-E at the party Saturday, officials said.
Cody Weddle, 20, of Ada, was arraigned Monday in Pontotoc County District Court on complaints of murder and conspiracy to distribute a synthetic substance, District Attorney Chris Ross said. He has not been charged and has been denied bail.
Ross said he was not familiar with the drug before Saturday but has been doing research on it.
“I’ve been learning a lot more about it since 7 a.m. Saturday,” Ross said.
Jewell’s mother, Lida Beckman, told KWTV-9 she’s upset the drug is easily acquired on the Internet.
“What has this world come to if they can put stuff like this on the Internet and not at least be sued to take the darn stuff off?” she said. “They’re still allowed to sell it and I can’t do anything about it.”
Norman Regional Health System’s Dr. Matt Bonner said last weekend was the first time emergency room physicians there have treated patients for ingesting 2C-E, also known as phenethylamine.
“It’s new, it’s exceedingly dangerous and I would suggest any kid steer clear of it,” Bonner said.
Little research has been done on the drug and its effects, Bonner said. It can cause respiratory arrest, seizures, severe vomiting and multi-system organ failure. All physicians can do to treat patients is support their organ systems until the drug runs its course, he said.
Drug bought on Web
Weddle on April 26 bought one gram of 2C-E powder for $120 from a website, District 22 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force Agent Josh Dean wrote in a probable cause affidavit. Weddle told investigators the drug is supposed to cause effects similar to the drug Ecstasy.
The drug arrived at Weddle’s parents’ post office box Friday, and Weddle, Jewell and Andrew Akerman, whose age was not released, went to Jewell’s house in Ada to dilute it in a liter of water, Dean wrote.
Weddle took about 45 milliliters of the mixture home with him, and Jewell and Akerman took the rest to a party, according to the affidavit. Jewell and Akerman were to sell the drug for $15 for 15 milliliters, and it was then supposed to be further diluted in 20 ounces of water.
Weddle and Akerman were to split the profits from the drug sales, Dean wrote.
Ross said it’s a crime to manufacture or distribute synthetic drugs. He said Weddle and Akerman could face first-degree or second-degree murder charges.
“The websites for this drug clearly say it’s not for human consumption,” Ross said. “They ordered it and diluted it to make a profit. That makes them criminally responsible for what happened.”
Ross said he didn’t know if charges would be brought against Akerman.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” he said.
Someone told Weddle about the sickened people at the party early Saturday, so he went to his house to retrieve the rest of the drug and broke into Jewell’s house to get the shipping label, according to the affidavit. He then went to Valley View Regional Hospital, where the sickened partygoers were taken, to tell doctors about the drug.
Dean met Weddle at the hospital, interviewed him and arrested him.
Emergency workers were called to the party at a house north of Konawa on State Highway 9A shortly after midnight Saturday, authorities said.