Austin Man Charged in Fatal Overdose

AUSTIN, Minn. (AP) — An Austin man is accused of selling heroin to a 23-year-old man who died of an overdose in December.

Twenty-three-year-old Ryan Allen Anderson was charged Monday in Mower County District Court with felony third-degree murder through drugs.

According to the complaint, Austin police were called on Dec. 18 after Tyler Burkey was found lying unresponsive on the floor. An autopsy found Burkey died of a heroin overdose.

The complaint says text messages from the day before showed Burkey was looking to buy heroin and had negotiated a purchase with Anderson.

Anderson denied any involvement with Burkey. But the Austin Daily Herald reports officers confirmed Anderson's cellphone number matched the one listed in the victim's phone.

Anderson is due in court on the murder charge March 24.