Brandon McQueen, 38, and Rebecca McQueen, 42, were found dead in their Auburn Street home about noon Nov. 20 by a family member, according to the Middletown police report. Drugs were found at the residence, including “four lines of a white powdery substance,” according to police.
The Butler County Coroner’s Office ruled the McQueens died of toxicity from cocaine and fentanyl. The deaths were ruled an accident by the coroner’s office.
Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said a coroner’s ruling on manner of death is different than criminal law definitions, especially when people are supplying drugs to others.
“The coroner’s convention of language differs from the criminal usage of language,” Gmoser said. “Nobody is going to be able to defend that this was an accidental death as far as the law. As far as the coroner’s concerned, it is an accident. As far as prosecutors are concerned and the criminal law of Ohio is concerned, it’s a crime.”
Quinn is accused of supplying the drugs to the couple that resulted in their death.
“We are using every means possible to address the drug problem and hold people responsible that profit from people’s addiction,” said Middletown Police Maj. Scott Reeve said.
The case has been assigned to Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth but an arraignment date has not yet been set. Quinn had not yet been arrested by Wednesday afternoon.
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