Two Plead Guilty to NH Teen’s Overdose Death

CONCORD, NH — Two people involved in the death of Eve Tarmey, 17, of Rochester last year, a case that has shocked the state, have pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death.

Mark Ross, 42, of Gonic, and Leslie Aberle, 32, of Salisbury, MA, pled guilty on July 18, 2016, and will be sentenced later this year, according to a press statement from Emily Gray Rice, the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire.

According to the documentation in the case, Aberle drove Ross to Lawrence, MA, on Oct. 16, 2015, to buy heroin. After he purchased the heroin, he drove to the Riveria Motel in Rochester where he was staying with Jazzmyn Rood, a reported local escort, and her daughter, Tarmey.

“Ross provided a quantity of the drug to Tarmey,” Rice stated. “The following morning, Tarmey was found dead in the motel room. The New Hampshire Medical Examiner later found that Ms. Tarmey died of acute fentanyl intoxication.”

In February, Ross’ drug dealer, Lorenzo Ramirez, 58, a Mexican citizen, was found guilty of three counts of unlawful distribution of heroin and one count of unlawful possession of with the intent to distribute heroin.

Rood’s local charges have been dropped so that the case could be elevated to the federal level, according to press reports.

“I want to thank the Rochester Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their work on this case,” Rice said. “Fighting the opioid epidemic is a multi-pronged, team effort. One facet of our attack is to prosecute those who are criminally responsible for causing drug overdoses. We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute the individuals who distribute drugs that cause overdose deaths. Any drug distribution has the potential to be deadly, regardless of the quantity of drugs involved. When a drug distribution causes an overdose death, my office will seek to hold the distributor accountable.”

Jazzmyn Rood, Mark Ross and Leslie Aberle have all been indicted in U.S. District Court on federal charges relating to the fentanyl overdose death of Rood's 17-year-old daughter, Eve Tarmey.