Staff Reports

Indiana State Police detectives have arrested a local man on drug-related charges after a nearly 13-month investigation into the drug overdose death of another local resident.

Stephen A. Moore, 29, of 6116 E. Prairie Stream Way, was arrested Saturday by Indiana State Police on multiple drug-related charges, troopers said.

In August 2020, Detective Jason Duncan, Indiana State Police-Versailles Post, began an investigation into the death of Jeremy Ronsheim, 49, Columbus, who was found deceased at Moore’s residence on Prairie Stream Way in Columbus, state police said.

During the course of the investigation, officers located a suspected controlled substance along with items of drug paraphernalia in Moore’s residence. Additional evidence indicated Moore attempted to discard evidence in the home prior to first responders arriving on scene.

Laboratory tests later determined that the controlled substance located in Moore’s home was identified as fentanyl, a schedule II controlled substance, state police said.

The Bartholomew County Coroner’s office said Ronsheim died Aug. 14, 2020 of an overdose of methamphetamine and fentanyl toxicity, the 24th overdose death out of 31 that occurred in 2020.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the case was presented to the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office for review. On Sept. 22, a warrant was issued for Moore on charges of possession of a narcotic drug, Level 6 felony, maintaining a common nuisance, Level 6 felony, obstruction of justice, Level 6 felony, and possession of paraphernalia, Class C misdemeanor.

On Saturday, Duncan served the arrest warrant on Moore who was already incarcerated at the Bartholomew County Jail on unrelated charges. Moore’s bond was set at $15,000, according to jail officials.

The Indiana State Police were assisted in this investigation by the Columbus Police Department, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and the Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office.