Romeoville Man Guilty of Lockport Man's Heroin Homicide

A Romeoville man was convicted of the drug-induced homicide of a Lockport man.

Benjamin Camunias, 28, was found guilty Friday by Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak. He faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in July.

Camunias drove to Chicago with 31-year-old Amy Shemberger in August 2014 and the pair purchased a jab of heroin for $100. Camunias and Shemberger split the heroin and he then dropped her off at the Lockport house where she was living with Peter Kucinski, 31, his mother, Dorothy Kucinski, and Peter Kucinski’s 5-year-old son.

After she got to the house, Shemberger provided heroin to Peters Kucinski. He snorted it and died.

Dorothy Kucinski told of finding her son dying of a heroin overdose in her basement when she petitioned for a protective order against Shemberger. Here’s what she said:

“Amy, her son and a friend and my son Peter went down in the basement. I then heard my grandson saying my daddy is laying on the floor. I went down and saw my son Peter laying on his back on the floor. I felt for a pulse and felt his chest, I could not feel anything. I asked Amy what had happened, she told me she already called 911. I went back upstairs to let the EMTs in. I stayed upstairs with my grandson. Once my son was removed from the house I went downstairs to the basement. I asked Amy again what the hell did she do. I proceeded to look for needles and located six or so on the upper ledge in the basement. I turned to leave with the needles in my hands and Amy stepped in front of me, she put her hands on my shoulder to push me back. I told Amy to get her hands off of me, she then called me a f---ing bitch, she said karma is a bitch, isn’t it, she said it was my fault my son died. I went to the hospital and came back home. The police were there. They asked me if they could search the house. They told me Amy would not open the door for them. I let them in. The officer found a needle in the bathroom placed where my grandson could get at it.”

Peter Kucinski was pronounced dead when he arrived at Silver Cross Hospital.

Shemberger also faces a charge of drug-induced homicide but has been free on bond since November. She testified against Camunias at his trial.