Monroe County suicide staged to cover fatal overdose, police say

A Monroe County man gave another man drugs causing a fatal overdose, then tried making the death look like a suicide to hide his culpability, police said.Chester Botch Jr., 50, of the 2300 block of Beartown Road, Cresco, was charged Friday with delivering drugs resulting in death, abusing a corpse, evidence tampering and other offenses in the Oct. 24 death of Thomas Bartkovsky, 35, of Mount Pocono, at Botch’s home.Botch was placed in the Monroe County jail, with bail set at $500,000, and is awaiting a district court hearing.An affidavit states the following:Police responded Oct. 24 to a 911 call regarding a dead person, later identified as Bartkovsky, found hanging in Botch’s garage. A large amount of heroin, prescription medications and drug paraphernalia were found in the residence and later seized through a search warrant.Police found evidence inconsistent with suicide, though the affidavit does not give details about that evidence. Police also learned Bartkovsky had been working for Botch, who paid him with money and drugs, and that Botch had covered up prior overdoses at the residence.In the following months, the investigation involved interviews with witnesses and gathering further evidence.Botch provided the drugs on which Bartkovsky fatally overdosed, based on this evidence. Botch then staged the death to look like a suicidal hanging to hide the fact that he had provided the drugs.Morning Call reporter Andrew Scott can be reached at 610-820-6508 or ascott@mcall.com.
Source: Morningcall