Police arrest model for the death of Google executive
Two men died of a heroin overdose within months of each other. Both were with the same girl when it happened.
Coincidence? Or something more sinister?
Alix Tichelman was arrested on July 4 and charged with manslaughter for administering a lethal dose of heroin to Google executive Forrest Timothy Hayes, 51, in November.
Now, police are taking another look into the death of Mr Dean Riopelle, 53, in September to make sure that was indeed a case of accidental overdose.
In the latest case, Tichelman was onboard Mr Hayes' 50-foot yacht when the incident happened.
Security footage showed her calmly collecting her drugs and needles, closing a blind to conceal the body from view, and leaving, reported NBC News.
Time reported Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark as saying: "She steps over the body, reaches over the table and finishes a glass of wine and then goes back about her business."
NBC News reported police as saying that Tichelman, who modelled under the name AK Kennedy, had been working as a high-end prostitute in Silicon Valley with more than 200 clients.
She is being held on US$1.5 million (S$1.86m) bail in Santa Cruz County, California, on manslaughter, drug and prostitution charges.
In the earlier case, Tichelman and Mr Riopelle had been dating for about two and a half years and lived together, reported Huffington Post.
11Alive reported Captain Shawn McCarty with the Milton Police Department as saying: "She had gotten out of the shower and found her boyfriend, Mr. Riopelle, lying on the floor, unresponsive."
"At the time, we had no reason to believe it was anything other than an accidental overdose, and that's actually how it was ruled," he said.
"We are going back making sure there was nothing we missed, no foul play involved," he said.
11Alive reported that 11 days before Mr Riopelle died, Tichelman had been arrested for battery. The police report indicated that she bit his hand and tore it open.
Sources: 11 Alive, Time, NBC News, ajc.com, Huffington Post
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