Years Later, Murder Charges In Gwinnett Woman's Drug Overdose

LOGANVILLE, GA — More than four years after a Gwinnett County woman died of a heroin overdose, two men now face murder charges in the case.

Walton County Sheriff's Office investigators have arrested Christopher Ryan Holcomb, 32, of Loganville, and placed an arrest hold on Seth Burson Richie, 38, of Toccoa, who is an inmate at Lee State Prison in Leesburg.

Heather Chandler, 26, died on June 13, 2013 of an overdose of heroin.

Holcomb now stands accused of injecting Chandler with that fatal dose of the drug, according to his arrest warrant. Chandler's body was found in Holcomb's bed at a home off of Piney Grove Road in Loganville.

"Our guys never give up," the Walton County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook.

Chandler's parents expressed happiness and relief at the arrests.

"It was a long time coming,” her mother, Marsha Chandler, told WSB-TV. "It was like a weight was taken off our shoulders that we had been carrying for so long."

The family has lost both of their twin daughters, according to WSB. Heather's sister, Jennifer, died in a drunk-driving accident in which she was a passenger six months before Heather's overdose.

Loganville sits on a county line, partly in Gwinnett County and partly in Walton County.

Photos courtesy Walton County Sheriff's Office