Woman faces murder charges for drug overdose death

A Hermantown woman is facing charges of third-degree murder after allegedly selling methamphetamine to a Moose Lake woman who died as a result of taking the drug earlier this year.

Dawn Marie Clemons, 39, appeared before Judge Robert Macaulay in the Sixth District Carlton County Court Monday, Dec. 10 and again on Wednesday, Dec. 12, on a single charge of felony murder in the third degree. The state alleges that Clemons caused the woman's death by selling her meth, which is a schedule 2 controlled substance.

According to the criminal complaint:

First responders found a 38-year-old Moose Lake woman deceased at her residence Aug. 5. The unidentified woman's roommate said he had last seen her at approximately 4 p.m. and said she seemed "off" and may have been using methamphetamine. The victim's mother also told police that her daughter had called her earlier in the day and asked her to take her to the hospital, but when she arrived, her daughter would not answer the door. She also suspected that her daughter may have been using drugs.

The medical examiner said there were signs of an overdose.

According to the criminal complaint, two days later a friend and family member discovered the victim's phone and gave it to Moose Lake police officers, after seeing that there were text messages referencing a drug deal between the defendant and a person named Dawn in the early morning hours of Aug. 5.

A BCA analyzed the phone and found that the text messages had been sent from a phone belonging to Clemons. The messages allegedly included arrangements for Clemons to buy controlled substances and deliver them to the victim, who is identified in the criminal complaint only by the initials L.M.O. Officers also found evidence at the victim's residence that tested positive for meth.

According to the criminal complaint, officers met with Clemons at her probation officer's office, and she allegedly told them that L.M.O. called her and asked her to bring her some meth and syringes. She allegedly procured approximately 1 gram of meth for $60 and drove to Moose Lake, where she and L.M.O. both used the drug intravenously. She said L.M.O. gave her $28 and some clothes for bringing the drug. She also told police that L.M.O. became paranoid after injecting the meth and asked "what did you give me?" Clemons said she stayed with L.M.O until later in the morning when the roommate came to the residence.

Follow-up investigations confirmed the cause of death as meth toxicity. Officers also confirmed that the communications on Clemons' phone matched those on the victim's phone. They also confirmed through phone records that Clemons was in Moose Lake on the morning of Aug. 5.

Bond for Clemons was set at $20,000 with no conditions. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 17. If convicted, the third-degree murder charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years and/or $40,000.