The charge of manslaughter, a class C felony, was officially filed against 21-year-old LaShaun Starbuck, of Cave City in Sharp County Circuit Court June 24.
According to the affidavit in the case, the charges stem from an incident Oct. 28, 2021 when Sharp County Dispatch received a call that Starbuck had brought a deceased female to the White River Medical Center Emergency Room in Batesville.
The victim was identified as 18-year-old Alyssa Hale.
Starbuck later met with investigators at the Cave City Police Department and told officers the victim had been “dumped in front of his entryway at 1405 Melon Drive” early in the morning by “unknown persons”.
His story was quickly proven to be a lie after authorities were given permission to look through Starbuck’s phone.
While investigators with the Sharp County Sheriff’s Department spoke with Starbuck, officers with the Cave City Police Department traveled to Starbuck’s residence and secured it.
Starbuck was out on parole and his residence was covered in the search waiver.
When authorities arrived after securing the premises, they spoke with the property owner who also gave permission for the residence to be searched.
During the search, more items were located, some of which belonged to the victim.
The 16th Judicial Drug Task Force (DTF) was requested to assist due to the likelihood that the victim’s death was likely contributed to “pressed pills” obtained by the victim on the day of her death.
DTF investigators Cody Lee and Jimmy Logan conducted follow up interviews with individuals who were with the victim the night before she died.
The investigators were told the victim appeared normal when she was taken to Starbuck’s home, but later in the morning Lowe was the only one who stated he may have seen the victim.
Investigators executed a search warrant on Starbuck’s phone and social media applications showed Starbuck was regularly involved in the sale and distribution of pills.
Starbuck admitted that he and the victim had taken pills the night before her death.
After being booked into the Sharp County Jail, a urinalysis showed fentanyl present in his system.
Toxicology reports from the medical examiner’s office also showed the presence of fentanyl and listed fentanyl toxicity as the cause of death of the victim.
In the early morning hours of Oct. 28, 2021, the victim was given pills by Starbuck she believed to be Percocets, however; the pills were fentanyl made to look like Percocet.
“Mr. Starbuck’s negligent actions caused the death of Alyssa Hale at his residence. His subsequent actions that day showed he was more concerned with mitigating his culpability in Ms. Hale’s death, than telling the truth and taking responsibility for his actions,” the affidavit states.
As a result, Starbuck is now in custody at the Sharp County Sheriff’s Department and has been charged with manslaughter.
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
