Unity man arrested in connection with Latrobe woman's drug overdose death

Mar. 31—A Unity man was arrested Wednesday on police accusations that he sold drugs to a woman who died from an overdose in 2019, according to court papers.

Chad E. Ghrist, 42, is charged with drug delivery resulting in death and drug possession. Police said lab reports showed that his DNA was found on two empty stamp bags that they seized while investigating the August 2019 death of Rebecca Campbell, 40.

Campbell was found dead in a Latrobe home and authorities were led to Ghrist through communications she had on her cell phone, according to court papers. An examination of Campbell's phone by an agent from the state attorney general's office showed text messages setting up drug purchases between her and a phone number for a "Chad" in her contacts, police said.

A toxicology report showed that Campbell had fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine in her system, police said. Her obituary said that Campbell had a long battle with drug addiction.

Prior to her death, Ghrist had been under investigation for dealing drugs in Latrobe, according to court papers. He was arrested in October 2019 in connection with an undercover drug purchase five months earlier and drugs found in his home.

Ghrist admitted to selling Campbell drugs the day before her death, police said. Cell phone records showed the pair had not had contact since then.

He is free on $20,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is set for May 3. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records. He could not be reached.

No hearings have been scheduled in the two previous drug cases, according to online court records. He is free on unsecured bail in both of those cases.

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .