Twin Lakes woman faces January jury trial

Cooper, 30, allegedly provided lethal heroin to Salem man

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

A 30-year-old Twin Lakes woman accused of delivering heroin to a Salem man who later died entered a not guilty plea in Kenosha County Circuit Court Oct. 6, according to online court records.

Elizabeth Cooper, 30, who is free on $5,000 cash bond, is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of heroin, according to a criminal complaint.

Elizabeth Cooper
Elizabeth Cooper

If convicted, she faces up to 40 years in prison on the reckless homicide charge.

At the Oct. 6 proceeding, Cooper requested a jury trial, scheduled for January.

According to a criminal complaint, Cooper allegedly supplied Salem resident Christopher Stachura with .25 grams heroin July 18. She contends he was still alive when she left the residence in the 11500 block of 227th Avenue.

However, hours later, Stachura was found dead in his garage. Authorities suspect his death was the result of a heroin overdose, the complaint contends.

After Stachura was pronounced dead by the Kenosha County Medical Examiner’s Office, he was transported to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, where an autopsy was conducted.

Autopsy results, released Sept. 15, revealed Stachura died of acute drug intoxication, the complaint notes.

According to a Sept. 17 Sheriff’s Department news release, authorities allege Cooper gave Stachura the lethal dose after combing through phone records.

“It was determined based on physical evidence on the scene and mobile phone records that Stachura received the heroin from 30-year-old Village of Twin Lakes resident Elizabeth M. Cooper,” the news release states.

Two days after the autopsy results were released, authorities took Cooper into custody at her work, where she allegedly had in her possession a black purse containing drug paraphernalia and heroin, the complaint contends.

While Cooper allegedly admitted being present while Stachura used .25 grams of heroin, and later left the property with the other .25 grams, she stated “she would not have left him alone if she thought he was in danger.”

“The defendant stated that she didn’t think that the amount of heroin she gave him would have caused his death,” the complaint alleges.

After her arrest, she posted bond, pending specific conditions.

Conditions include no consumption or possession of drugs/alcohol and to refrain from contacting the victim’s family.


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