Woman accused in Hempfield man's drug overdose death

A Hempfield woman is accused by state police in connection with the drug overdose death of a Hempfield man in June 2019.

Elaine Grace Smith, 54, who also has a McKeesport address, was arrested this week. She is charged with drug delivery resulting in death, criminal use of a communication facility and drug possession. She is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison on $100,000 bond.

Troopers were called to the home of Michael Ritenour on June 10, 2019, when his roommate found him dead after Ritenour failed to show up at work, according to court papers. Police seized empty heroin stamp bags from the scene and text messages on his cell phone showed communication with a number that police said belongs to Smith.

The pair met each other at a gas station and Smith allegedly supplied him with drugs several times, including the night before his death, police said. Smith told troopers she got the drugs from a man in New Kensington.

An autopsy showed Ritenour ingested a lethal amount of fentanyl. Analysis of the stamp bags showed they contained fentanyl, police said.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid more powerful than heroin, has contributed to an explosion of drug overdose deaths in the region for several years.

Drug overdose deaths in Westmoreland County involving fentanyl increased by 364% from 2015 to 2016, according to coroner statistics. The drug contributed to 445 deaths in Westmoreland from Jan. 1, 2016, to Dec. 31, 2019.

Preliminary figures for 2020 show fentanyl contributed to 39 deaths.

Smith’s attorney could not be reached Friday. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 27.