EAST PROVIDENCE — In the last week East Providence Police have investigated an apparent drug overdose death, a suicide and a drug deal gone bad.
After receiving a missing person report on November 30, Providence Police notified local law enforcement the following day of the apparent and unfortunately successful suicide of 17-year-old Riverside male. The teen is believed to have taken his own life by jumping from an upper level in the Providence Place Mall.
Also from November 30, East Providence Police responded to a call of an unresponsive male in a room at the Americas Best Value Inn on Newport Avenue in the Rumford section of the city. Upon arrival, police found a 45-year-old man dead from what appeared to be a drug overdose.
According to EPPD Detective Captain Richard Frazier, upon further investigation the victim was found to have a troubled history with dependence. An arrest could be made in the case. Police believe the man’s girlfriend, in whose name the room was rented, fled the scene knowing of what took place. Capt. Frazier said a charge of failure to report a death is possibly pending.
On Thursday night, Dec. 4, a drug deal went wrong for two men. Police received a call of a stabbing at the Village Green South apartment complex on Pawtucket Avenue at approximately 8:15 p.m. Upon arrival, officers found one victim, a 16-year-old male, with a stab wound. He was transported to Hasbro Children’s Hospital where he was treated for injuries and later released.
The suspect in the case, described as a short Hispanic male, is alleged to have stabbed the teen, taken a small amount of marijuana and an undetermined amount of cash. A second victim in the case, a 22-year-old male, was also robbed of cash after attempting to flee the scene before falling to the ground and then threatened at knife point.
Capt. Frazier said investigators have several leads and are expecting to make an arrest in the case.