NKY woman facing manslaughter charge following man’s suspected overdose death

BOONE COUNTY, Ky. (WXIX) - A Northern Kentucky woman is facing a manslaughter charge in connection with a man’s suspected overdose death.

Jennifer Moore, 38, of Walton, was arrested Tuesday for manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a minor, and drug trafficking charges, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

Four days before her arrest, the sheriff’s office says Moore trafficked heroin/fentanyl to a 29-year-old man on Rosetta Drive in Burlington. That man is Cody Jones, family members tell FOX19 NOW.

Moore brought her young child to the man’s home when she delivered the drugs, which is why the endangering the welfare of a minor charge was added, the sheriff’s office explained.

The 29-year-old man never left his home after accepting the drugs from Moore, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said.

Jones’ family says on Nov. 19 he told them he was not feeling well so he was going to bed early.

Bill Biery, Jones’ stepdad, says he and his wife found it odd that Jones suddenly became sick.

“I said, ‘I’m going to go check on him,’ and I went in, and he was laying sideways in the bed and looked very uncomfortable asleep,” recalls Biery.

Biery says he then had what would later be his and Jones’ final conversation.

“I tried to cover him up, but I couldn’t because he was laying on top of the cover, so I shook him awake and said, ‘hey, why don’t you get up in the bed and get more comfortable?’ He said, ‘I will,’ and he said, ‘I love you,’ and I said, ‘I love you,’ and closed the door.”

The following day on Nov. 20, Biery checked on Jones after taking his wife to work.

“I was shocked when I went into the room because he was in the same odd position,” explained Biery. “He hadn’t moved an inch. I went over, and as soon as I touched him, I knew. I’ve been around that before. He was already gone.”

Biery called his wife, who rushed home, and moments later the deputies arrived to find Jones deceased.

Boone County Sheriff’s Office Major Phillip Ridgell says his team conducted a 72-hour investigation using surveillance video and details from witnesses.

The video allegedly shows Moore coming to the home with her child on Nov. 19 to sell Jones heroin/fentanyl, the sheriff’s office said.

An arrest warrant was then obtained for Moore, the sheriff’s office said.

On Tuesday, Moore was driving on I-75 when a deputy pulled her over for speeding, according to the sheriff’s office.

At the time she was pulled over, Moore was found to be in possession of heroin/fentanyl, a deputy wrote in her arrest report. She was charged with speeding and drug possession in connection with Tuesday’s arrest, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office explained.

The 38-year-old later admitted to bringing the drugs to Jones before his death, the sheriff’s office said.

She is being held on a $500,000 bond.

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