photo by: Mike Yoder

The Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, 111 E. 11th St.

More details have become available about how a Baldwin City man died after apparently trying to help his son-in-law pass a drug-screening urine test.

For his treatment at an addiction center, 34-year-old Justin R. Jones of Baldwin City was supposed to be producing urine samples with nothing in them but methadone, a synthetic drug often used for the treatment of morphine or heroin addictions.

Jones, though, knew his own urine was going to test positive for more than just methadone, according to a law enforcement investigation, so Jones implored a relative to use some of his urine instead in an effort for Jones to pass the urine test.

“You’re the only person I know,” Jones texted the man. “You have no idea how hard it is to find someone who hasn’t done anything. Lol.”

photo by: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

Justin R. Jones

On Sept. 17, 2017, that man — Jones’ father-in-law Eric Everts, 47, of Baldwin City — died.

The ensuing investigation by Baldwin City police led to Jones being charged with distribution of a controlled substance, causing Everts’ death, according to a complaint filed April 12 in Douglas County District Court. Jones also was charged with distributing methadone and unlawful use of a communication facility. All three charges are felonies.

Methadone is a synthetic opioid prescribed for pain management that is also provided through treatment programs to treat opioid addiction, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Journal-World requested the affidavit police prepared in support of Jones’ arrest in the case, and Judge James McCabria released it to the newspaper this week.

According to the affidavit:

A woman, whose name is redacted from the affidavit, called 911, hysterical after finding Everts deceased in his bed about 2:30 p.m.

While police were investigating the scene, another relative or friend, whose name is redacted, approached them with a “possible explanation” for Everts’ untimely death. She told investigators that a couple months earlier Jones had asked Everts to take some of Jones’ methadone to provide a “clean” urine sample for Jones to submit to the treatment center, and that Everts did it.

She said Jones had given Everts more methadone because he needed another urine sample.

A woman — possibly the same woman or a different one; her name is redacted from the affidavit — later told police that Everts had been taking Jones’ methadone, at Jones’ request, about once every six months for the past three years but had done so twice in the past month.

Everts’ cell phone contained text messages from Jones in which Jones asks him what medications he’s taken and talks about why he needs clean urine samples.

“If there’s nothing illegal they owe me, if there is and I deny it I owe a ton and prob get kicked out,” Jones texted, though the affidavit doesn’t elaborate on the terms or specific reasons for his treatment.

It was Sept. 9, 2017, when Jones texted Everts that he was “the only person I know,” and then asked him, “if I don’t get dropped this week would you mind next week end?”

There was methadone in Everts’ blood.

After examining Everts’ body, coroner Erik Mitchell wrote this in his autopsy report summary, according to the affidavit: “Considering scene information, clinical history, anatomic findings, and toxicology results, cause of death is best explained as consequence of methadone exposure superimposed upon respiratory suppressive effects of sleep apnea.”

Jones’ attorney, responding to the Journal-World via email, declined to respond specifically to the allegations for this article.

“There is so much more to what happened than is summarized in the affidavit. But I won’t try the case in the news,” Christopher Joseph said.

Joseph said more details would come out during Jones’ trial.

No trial date has been set yet. Jones’ next court hearing is scheduled for July 6.

Jones, arrested April 26, is now free on $50,000 bond.