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Williamsport man charged with homicide in drug delivery death

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Keith Richard Reitz, 60, of 2414 Ritchey St., has been charged with criminal homicide, drug delivery resulting in death and other charges after he allegedly provided drugs to a female friend that resulted in her death, an affidavit said.

When police arrived at a residence in the 1400 block of Alvin Avenue in Loyalsock Township, shortly before 1 a.m. on Oct. 18, 2024, police discovered a deceased female on the floor of her bedroom.

The roommate of the alleged victim told investigators that the alleged victim had taken a Facebook Messenger call from Reitz just after midnight, after which she exited the residence and met with Reitz in a garage on the property, court documents said.

Roughly 10 minutes later, the alleged victim, 46, returned to the bedroom and related that she was having difficulty breathing. Moments later, she became unresponsive and slumped over the bed, the roommate told police, according to an affidavit.

The roommate called 911 and immediately began CPR as instructed by dispatchers, she told police.

Emergency personnel arriving on scene witnessed Reitz fleeing the residence and driving off in a white Toyota Sedan, they said.

The victim was a known user of crack cocaine, police were told by a witness that arrived at the house a short time later, an affidavit said.

Reitz is a known drug dealer, who recently visited the Philadelphia area in order to “re-up” on drugs to sell in the Williamsport area, the witness told police, adding that he had recently warned Reitz to leave the alleged victim alone and stop selling drugs to her.

During a search of the alleged victim’s cell phone, police discovered that a one minute Facebook Messenger call between her and Reitz had taken place at 12:10 a.m. A missed call from Reitz had also registered on the phone 13 minutes later, court documents said.

Reitz later phoned state police at 11:30 a.m. that morning requesting to speak with an officer.

Admitting to having smoked crack the previous night after relapsing after six months sober, Reitz stated that he had been an addict for 44 years.

Reitz visited the residence after the alleged victim invited him over to show him something on her iPad, he told police.

Though he initially denied entering the garage, Reitz later admitted to smoking crack with the alleged victim, but claimed she was the one who had brought the drugs, authorities said.

After being called out on several inconsistencies in his story by police, Reitz provided what investigators felt was a more accurate account of the night’s events.

Reitz told police he arrived at the alleged victim’s garage after returning from a casino in Wilkes-Barre, where he had purchased drugs from a friend of his, an affidavit said.

The alleged victim appeared high when he got to the residence, and after each taking one hit of crack, she began to “act out of control,” Reitz told authorities.

He then left to buy more crack, unaware that the alleged victim had overdosed, Reitz claimed, adding that he had consumed all $200-worth of additional drugs purchased that night.

Reitz said he “didn’t like the fact” that (the crack) that potentially killed the alleged victim came from him, according to court documents.

An autopsy carried out on the alleged victim found her cause of death to be from “mixed drug toxicity,” citing the presence of cocaine, hydroxyzine, citalopram and cyclobenzaprine in her system.

Reitz was arraigned on additional charges of possession with intent to deliver and criminal use of a communication facility, before District Judge Aaron Biichle, who denied him bail.

“As promised, when I ran for this position, I said I was going to prosecute these drug dealers to the fullest extent,” Lycoming County District Attorney Tom Marino said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.

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