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Joshua Benner, 28, of Telford, and Ronald Shock, 35, of Boyertown, are being held liable in the May 7, 2020 death of Ramon Morales, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, and Pottstown Police Chief Mick Markovich said.
Morales was found by police laying on a grassy area between the emergency room entrance and parking lot of Pottstown Hospital around 2:45 a.m., authorities said.
At the time, Morales had no ID, cell phone or car keys on him. He was sopping wet, despite the fact it hadn't rained recently, authorities said. First responders were unable to revive Morales, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office determined that Morales died of drugs. Specifically, fentanyl and cocaine, Steele and Markovich said.
A review of the hospital video surveillance showed that Benner's Dodge Caliber had been in the hospital parking lot at 2:22 a.m.
Two days later, one of Morales' friends reported him missing to the Douglass Township Police Department, Steele and Markovich said. Morales work van was located outside of Shock's apartment -- the same parking lot where Benner's Dodge was, too, authorities said.
Through multiple interviews, audio recordings, and cell phone records, the investigation found that Benner had gone with a friend to Philadelphia to buy cocaine and heroin/fentanyl stamped “Flintstones," Steele and Markovich said.
Later that day, he sold some of those same drugs to Shock and Morales, and and consumed them around 11 p.m. at Shock’s apartment, authorities said.
According to Steele and Markovich, Morales overdosed around 11:30 p.m. that night.
This means that Benner and Shock did not call 911 or seek medical help between the time of Morales' overdose and when Benner's car was seen on hospital surveillance at 2:22 a.m. on May 7, authorities said.
Instead, while Morales was overdosing, Shock and Benner tried to “wake him up” by putting him in the shower, then cleaned Shock’s apartment to eliminate evidence, fabricated and rehearsed their story about what happened, discussed going to jail, and disposed of Morales' car keys, cellphone, and wallet, authorities said.
A search warrant issued by police for Benner’s car found a wet t-shirt, multiple baggies of heroin/fentanyl -- including some labeled “flintstones,” cocaine, and other drug paraphernalia, authorities said.
“Instead of calling 911 to summon medical help for someone who they knew was overdosing, these defendants waited approximately three hours before dumping his body outside of a hospital after it was too late for anyone to help Mr. Morales,” said Steele.
“Ramon Morales died from these deadly drugs that were sold to him by a dealer and then their casual disregard for his life caused him to suffer and die right in front of these two defendants while they did nothing. We will seek justice for Mr. Morales.”
Benner and Shock were charged with drug delivery resulting in death, conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver, recklessly endangering another person, and more.
Shock was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Edward C. Kropp Sr., who set bail at $250,000 cash.
He was unable to make bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
His preliminary hearing was set for Jan. 27 at 8 a.m., before Judge Kropp.
Benner, incarcerated at Montgomery County Correctional Facility on an unrelated charge, was video arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Edward C. Kropp Sr., who set bail at $99,000 cash.
His preliminary hearing was set for Jan. 27 at 8:45 a.m. before Judge Kropp.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lauren Marvel, Captain of the Pottstown Community Justice Unit, and Assistant District Attorney Lindsey Mills, who is assigned to the Narcotics Unit.
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