Woman indicted for human trafficking, prostitution in fatal overdose case

An arrest warrant has been issued for 40-year-old Tara Linville following her indictment in the death of 37-year-old Tabbitha Douglas, the sheriff's office said
Published: Aug. 17, 2023 at 1:43 PM EDT
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CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) - A woman is facing human trafficking and prostitution charges in connection with a fatal overdose.

An arrest warrant has been issued for 40-year-old Tara Linville following her indictment in the death of 37-year-old Tabbitha Douglas, the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday.

Anyone who knows where Linville might be is asked to call the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office at 513-732-7510 or the Clermont County Communications Center at 513-732-2231.

Linville was indicted Thursday on the following charges:

  • Trafficking in persons
  • Promoting prostitution (two counts)
  • Aggravated possession of drugs (two counts)
  • Aggravated trafficking in drugs (two counts)
  • Compelling prostitution

One week ago on Aug. 10, Roger Graszl, 58, was indicted on charges also in connection with Douglas’ fatal overdose, the sheriff’s office previously announced.

Shortly before 7 a.m. on May 27, the sheriff’s office says dispatch got a call for a “non-breather” at a home on Otter Creek Drive in Batavia Township.

Deputies and EMS responded to the call and found Douglas unresponsive, according to the sheriff’s office.

Douglas, despite life-saving measures, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office identified combined toxic effects of acute acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and xylazine use” as the cause of her death, the sheriff’s office explained.

Detectives started investigating Douglas’ death, which included search warrants for electronic devices and social media platforms, the sheriff’s office said.

“Crucial evidence” was found using the search warrants and the sheriff’s office says they were able to determine Douglas got an illegal substance from Graszl.

They found out Douglas had been dropped off at Graszl’s the night before she overdosed, court documents show.

Graszl told a detective at the scene Douglas showed up uninvited and he had no idea she had any drug dependencies, the documents explain.

The investigation uncovered financial transactions from Roger Graszl that showed he supplied...
The investigation uncovered financial transactions from Roger Graszl that showed he supplied drug-dependent females with drugs in exchange for sexual acts, according to the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office.(Clermont County Sheriff's Office)

Their investigation also uncovered financial transactions from Graszl that showed he supplied drug-dependent females with drugs in exchange for sexual acts, according to the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office.

The 58-year-old tried getting someone to help him move Douglas’ body before 911 was called, the court documents show. The sheriff’s office did not say if it was Linville that Graszl texted.

Graszl, according to the sheriff’s office, was indicted on the following charges:

  • Involuntary manslaughter
  • Trafficking in persons
  • Promoting prostitution
  • Compelling prostitution
  • Tampering with evidence
  • Trafficking in heroin
  • Trafficking in fentanyl-related compound
  • Aggravated trafficking in drugs
  • Aggravated possession in drugs

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