Probable cause found in casino homicide

Detective testifies about investigation into how French was identified as suspect
By: 
Luke Reimer
Reporter

Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge Katherine Sloma found probable cause of an alleged homicide in the case of a Green Bay woman connected to a fatal overdose at a local casino.

Stephany French, 27, was charged was charged with one count of first-degree reckless homicide by delivering drugs, one count of manufacturing or delivering less than three grams of heroin, one count of manufacturing or delivering less than or equal to three grams of amphetamine, one count of theft from a person or corpse and one misdemeanor count of duty to aid a victim or report a crime in connection with the Sept. 3 incident at the Mohican North Star Casino Resort in the Town of Bartelme.

During a preliminary hearing March 14, Shawano-Menominee County District Attorney Gregory Parker called county Detective Chris Gamm to the witness stand.

Gamm walked the court through the events that transpired the night of the alleged homicide. This came on the back of Parker asking Gamm numerous questions about the night.

“As you walked into the room, it was a standard double bedroom,” said Gamm. “When you walked in, the bathroom was on the left and there were two queen-sized beds. There was a television and end tables, too. The deceased was sitting cross-legged in that space between the wall and the bed. In front of him were two cellphone chargers. He was kind of slumped over and leaning to his right.”

Gamm said that the room looked like it was clean. He noted that the deceased was wet with plastic hotel cups in his lap.

“He was wet like there had been water dumped over him,” said Gamm.

Parker then asked if Gamm found anything in the room that indicated controlled substance use.

“There was no drug paraphernalia, pipes or drugs found in the room,” said Gamm. “One of the end tables had a white powder residue — that was the only thing that I thought could be indicative of drugs.”

Gamm recalled seeing the surveillance footage at the hotel, where he said that someone was clearly identifiable.

“A woman was wearing a black hoodie and black leggings,” said Gamm. “She was carrying a couple of white shopping bags that you would find at Walmart or Target or a hardware store.”

He said that after getting a registry for the hotel, he saw the room was registered under Lynn French. Gamm kept mentioning “she” and gesturing toward French during his testimony.

When trying to get a hold of French, Gamm said it was his understanding that she was on probation.

“The probation officer said that she had an outstanding warrant for her arrest for not showing up to meet with him,” said Gamm. “He said that he had no idea where she was.”

Gamm discussed what he had found when searching French’s vehicle.

“It appeared that French had been living out of the vehicle,” said Gamm. “There were, I believe, 12 or 13 cellphones located, along with the victim’s cellphone. There was a bag with glass smoking pipes, that would, based on my training, be used for smoking marijuana and methamphetamine. These pipes looked like they were used for methamphetamine, based on the residue and the color of the pipes.”

He went on to say that he found packets of Narcan and other standard methamphetamine and heroin paraphernalia, as well.

Gamm said that he talked with French three times, and that she initially stated she did not know the victim.

In his second meeting with French, Gamm said that she once again was ignorant to the situation.

“She stated that she did not do anything to cause the victim’s death,” said Gamm.

Parker then asked Gamm whether he heard the reports of autopsy and what the cause of death was.

“The cause of death, based on the toxicology report, was a combination of toxicity of fentanyl, methamphetamine and ethanol,” said Gamm.

Gamm said his third interview with French was initially similar to the first two interviews, but then she started to talk about the situation.

“I showed her pictures of her in the building,” said Gamm. “Ultimately, she stated that she had been in the room. She stated that she brought methamphetamine and heroin to the room. She stated that they smoked the methamphetamine and snorted what she thought was the heroin. She helped him to the floor and poured water on him to wake him up. After he did not wake, she got scared and left the room. She didn’t have a reason why she did not call 9-1-1.”

After Parker finished his questioning, defense attorney Eric Maciolek asked Gamm about the white residue at the hotel. He asked if the residue was tested.

“I believe so, yes,” said Gamm. “I don’t recall the results. I think I know, but I don’t want to misspeak.”

Maciolek asked what French had told Gamm about the substances that were being used.

“They were both using meth and what they believed to be heroin,” said Gamm. “They were both smoking meth and snorting the heroin.”

He also asked if the victim had snorted any of the powder on the table.

“Yes,” said Gemm. “That would be the fentanyl component of the toxicology.”

Maciolek asked Gemm if he had discussed with French about who brought the drugs to the room.

“She said that she was the only one who was the source of the drugs,” said Gemm.

Sloma scheduled an arraignment hearing for 1:30 p.m. April 27.


lreimer@newmedia-wi.com