Stephanie J. Schofield, 38, Indianapolis
HANCOCK COUNTY — After a nearly year-long police investigation surrounding a fatal drug overdose in the county, officials from the New Palestine Police Department say an Indianapolis woman is in police custody, charged with causing the death.
Stephanie J. Schofield, 38, was officially arrested by the NPPD this weekend. She’s been charged with a Level 1 felony count of dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 6 felony count of obstruction of justice and a Class A misdemeanor count of false informing after the case was officially opened in Hancock County Superior Court 1 late last week.
According to officials from the NPPD, on , officers from the NPPD were dispatched to a welfare check October 19, 2023 in the 4500 block South 500W in New Palestine.
The caller, Schofield, who fled the scene, reported a possible medical emergency was taking place at the residence. Upon arrival, officers located a male victim, later identified as Jerry Moore II, unresponsive and without a pulse.
Officers and EMS personnel attempted life-saving measures on the victim. Moore was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. Autopsy results would show Moore died from a drug overdose.
After nearly a 10-month investigation with social media records and cell phone data being obtained, an arrest warrant was issued for the caller, Schofield, who is currently being held in the Hancock County Jail awaiting her initial arraignment.
Officials noted in a probable cause affidavit that they found drug paraphernalia at the residence along with drug residue that field-tested positive as cocaine. According to the affidavit, Schofield told police in an interview she was talking to Moore II on the phone when he must have passed out, and she called the “ambulance people” because she didnt’t have enough gas to reach his house.
The affidavit said she told police it had been a couple of weeks since she had been to Moore’s house. However, police showed her “ping” phone information indicating her phone was at Moore’s house, in the driveway, the day he died.
Schofield then admitted to police she was at Moore’s house that night to drink before he was found unresponsive. The affidavit says she told police she had fallen asleep sitting in a chair that night and when she woke up to go to the bathroom she found Moore II unresponsive on the bathroom floor. Schofield then told police that she “freaked out,”left and then called for help.
She then told police a friend had given Moore II a pain pill, one he took with some of the alcohol they drank that night.
However, police noted they had internet messages from Moore II asking Schofield for pain pills. Officials noted in the affidavit they searched Schofield’s phone and found messages of the two talking about cocaine and heroin, including her saying she had the “street version.”
The autopsy on Moore II officials noted in the report showed the cause of death being a “combined intoxication of cocaine and fentanyl.”
