In , January 2022, a neighbor noticed , Bill Levy , did n’t pick up his newspaper or roll in his garbage bins at his , California , mansion.
This was unlike the , 72- yr- old , Granada Hills  , person,” who lived a structured life and kept a firm plan” , , Ventura County , Sheriff , James Fryhoff , said at a , May 22 , news conference.
Los Angeles , officers arrived and found Levy lifeless in his sleep during a welfare check, Fryhoff said.
” Although Mr. Levy’s death was sudden, officials did not have any knowledge or information at the time to recommend he fell prey to bad play”, Fryhoff said.
After speaking with Levy’s principal physician,  , Ventura County , District Attorney , Erik Nasarenko , said at the announcement event that the medical examiner decided an autopsy was not needed.
Levy’s fatality was thought to be of normal reasons, Nasarenko said.
But, more than two years after his death,  , his locksmith has been charged , in his shooting, accused of fatally poisoning Levy with fentanyl, the , Ventura County , District Attorney Office said in a , May 21 , media transfer.
Rotherie Durell Foster, 38, of , Camarillo, is facing several misdemeanor charges, including initial- degree murder, identity fraud and the intentional and deliberate supervision of a poison, Nasarenko said.
On May 23rd, McClatchy News requested a reply from an lawyer representing Foster, but they did not respond right away.
‘ Cautious, disturbing and disturbing transactions ‘
In January,  , Foster was charged , in the shooting of a fellow handyman for monetary gain, the district attorney’s office said in a , Jan. 17 , media transfer.
While lawyers were building a circumstance against Foster, they subpoenaed his bank account information, Nasarenko said.
In doing so, Nasarenko said they found some” cautious, troubling and alarming purchases” completed in , January 2022.
Among those purchases, Nasarenko said, were” some virtual wireless deals from a Billy Levy” into Foster’s lender account.
According to Nasarenko, they also noticed a check for several thousand that was deposited into the defendant’s bank account.
The transactions took place the day after Levy’s death, which prosecutors found “alarming and disturbing”, Nasarenko said.
While investigating, Nasarenko said prosecutors found Foster worked as a plumber for a large company and was sent to Levy’s home on several occasions.
” Investigators believe ( Foster ) used his plumbing trade to identify potential targets for his crimes”, prosecutors said in the release.
” Almost unprecedented”
Fryhoff claimed investigators exhumed Levy’s body to perform an autopsy after the sheriff’s office was informed that his death may have been the result of foul play.
The autopsy showed Levy died from fentanyl poisoning, and his death was ruled a homicide, Fryhoff said.
Further evidence, including cellphone records, linked Foster to Levy’s killing, according to Fryhoff.
In addition to Levy’s killing, prosecutors said investigators “identified Foster as the suspect in additional crimes”, which include a , December 2021 , case of financial fraud in , Woodland Hills  , and a , July 2022 , armed robbery in , Fillmore.
” I ca n’t recall a case where someone was accused of intentionally administering fentanyl, leading to their death, who had already been detained on suspicion of other murders, and who also committed additional financial crimes and robberies,” Nasarenko said. ” This is, in my opinion, almost unprecedented”.
Foster is expected to appear in court on , June 6, online jail records show.
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