Jeannette man accused in Hempfield drug overdose death

A Jeannette man is behind bars after state police said he sold heroin and fentanyl to a man who died of an overdose last year, according to court papers.

Rick Paul Petros, 52, formerly of Florida, was arrested Thursday on charges of drug delivery resulting in death and drug offenses.

Troopers were called to Hempfield Towers Aug. 1 around 10 a.m. after Eugene S. Matyonosky, 48, of New Alexandria, was found unresponsive inside. He later died at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital, police said.

Investigators found an unopened stamp bag of drugs in his pocket marked “Family Guy” and several others matching the same description inside his mother’s apartment, according to court papers. Police said they connected Petros to Matyonosky through cell phone records and surveillance video.

Matyonosky told his girlfriend and mother that he was meeting up with a person named “Rick” or “Ricky” in the hours before his death. Police said they found text messages on his cell phone with a contact by that name arranging to purchase drugs, according to court papers. During a search of Petros’ phone, investigators said they found messages to other numbers discussing the “Family Guy” stamp bags and how much money he was making selling them.

Surveillance video from Hempfield Towers showed Matyonosky get into a pickup truck that was registered to Petros, according to court papers. An autopsy showed that Matyonosky died from an overdose of heroin and fentanyl, which were the same substances found in the “Family Guy” stamp bags, police said.

He is survived by two daughters and five grandchildren, according to his obituary.

Petros is being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for June 11. He did not have an attorney listed. He does not have a criminal history in Pennsylvania, according to online court records.