Amerson to be held without bond for overdose murder

Christy Bailey, The News Courier, Athens, Ala.
·2 min read

Aug. 8—Gary Amerson, 46, of Athens, was in front of District Judge R. Gray West Monday morning for a pretrial detention hearing. Amerson is facing a murder charge and multiple drug charges after Limestone County Sheriff's Office deputies and investigators responded to an overdose call at Amerson's home in the 13000 block of Quinn Road. When they arrived, investigators found an unresponsive female in his living room.

LCSO said in a statement Aug. 4 that, according to Amerson, he administered a dose of Narcan to the victim, ate a bowl of cereal, and called 911 twenty minutes after discovering her unresponsive. Investigator Jesse Gibson and Lieutenant Johnny Morell discovered that Amerson waited over an hour to call 911.

After an Aniah's Law hearing Judge West ordered that Amerson be held without bond pending further order of the Court. According to court documents, Amerson is alleged to have "distributed fentanyl to the victim who almost immediately over dosed and he waited over an hour to call emergency medical personnel."

Investigators were also able to obtain video evidence that showed "the drug transaction as well as the near-immediate effects the drugs had on the victim."

Court documents state that Amerson confessed to investigators that he regularly obtained and distributed large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Limestone County. Amerson has prior felony convictions and is still on probation for unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

In Judge West's order to hold Amerson without bond, it states, "Finally, based on his prior convictions, if convicted in this case, the Defendent 'must be punished by imprisonment for life or for any term not less than 99 years.'"

Amerson is charged with felony murder, drug trafficking (methamphetamine), possession of a pistol by a violent felon, two counts of possession of a controlled substance (Buprenorphine Hydrochloride Pills and Fentanyl), felony possession of drug paraphernalia, and distribution of a controlled substance.