Erie beating victim's death ruled homicide; coroner says Tylenol overuse was a factor
An Erie man whom police said was beaten with a cane during an altercation at an Erie apartment house in early October has died from complications of Tylenol use related to the attack, according to the Erie County Coroner's Office.
Coroner Lyell Cook ruled the Oct. 22 death of 49-year-old Randolph Green a homicide.
North Carolina resident Anthony Mcrea, 50, accused by police of assaulting Green with the cane on Oct. 10, was arraigned Thursday on aggravated assault and related charges. Those charges were filed on Oct. 12, 10 days before Green died.
No new charges had been filed in the attack as a result of Green's death as of Tuesday morning. The investigation into the incident continues, according to Erie police and the Erie County District Attorney's Office.
Mcrea, of Burlington, North Carolina, remains in the Erie County Prison on $100,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court for his preliminary hearing on Dec. 8, according to online court docket information.
Beating, Tylenol use blamed in man's death
Green died on Oct. 22 at UPMC Hamot, according to Cook.
He said his office determined Green died of complications related to Tylenol overuse due to assaultive trauma. He ruled the death a homicide on Oct. 25 following an investigation.
Taking large doses of Tylenol, also known as acetaminophen and paracetamol, can cause liver injury, liver failure and death, according to information on drugwatch.com.
Green had been recuperating from a beating Erie police accuse Mcrea of inflicting on Green during an altercation at a Peach Street apartment house on the late evening of Oct. 10.
Police wrote in the criminal complaint filed against Mcrea on Oct. 12, when he was charged with aggravated assault, that officers were called to an apartment in the 3100 block of Peach Street shortly before 11:30 p.m. Oct. 11 to investigate a prior assault. Officers spoke to Green after arriving at the apartment house and viewed his injuries, which included a bruised left eye that was swollen shut, bruising around his right eye, and bruises on his neck and chest, according to the complaint.
The officers took photos of the injuries, according to information in the complaint.
Green told the officers that Mcrea, who had lived in the house's lower apartment but had moved to North Carolina, returned to Erie and was again staying in the lower apartment. Green said he was in the lower apartment on Oct. 10 watching television with Mcrea and another person when Green told Mcrea he was not supposed to be on the property any longer and he needed to leave, police wrote in case documents.
Green said Mcrea became angry, picked up an aluminum cane and struck him in the face several times with the cane, causing him to fall to the floor. He said Mcrea then left the apartment and met with another male in the parking lot, according to police.
Green said he went outside to speak with Mcrea and Mcrea hit him again, causing him to fall on the ground. He said as he was on the ground he was kicked and "booted" by Mcrea, according to information in the complaint. Green told police he believed he blacked out and did not see Mcrea leave the area.
Officers wrote that Green said he went to Saint Vincent Hospital on Oct. 11 and was told by a physician he suffered an orbital fracture to his eye.
Other Erie beating leads to death
Green's death is the fifth assault in Erie ruled a homicide following the victim's death so far this year and the second in which a person died following a beating in the city.
Timothy L. Smith, 80, died at UPMC Hamot on Sept. 13 of complications of blunt-force trauma after authorities said he was beaten with a garbage can liner and fists during an altercation at East 11th and French streets on Aug. 18.
More:Erie man charged with homicide in downtown beating that led to death of 80-year-old man
Smith's accused attacker, 30-year-old Luis A. Salome-Gonzalez, was initially charged by Erie police on Aug. 18 with aggravated assault and related offenses. Those charges were withdrawn and a new set of charges, which included criminal homicide, were filed following Smith's death.
Salome-Gonzalez was arraigned on the new charges on Sept. 15. He was held for court on all charges following his preliminary hearing on Oct. 21.
'He kept hitting him': Suspect held for court in beating death of Erie 80-year-old
Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNhahn.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Coroner: Tylenol overuse linked to beating death of Randolph Green
