KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) - A Kenosha man is charged with hiding the body of a woman who died of a heroin overdose. And investigators suspect the medical transport driver may have been using his job to lure women with drug problems to his home for sex.
A criminal complaint charges Thomas Rutchik, 62, with hiding a corpse and obstructing police after the frozen body of Rheana Gattone was found in an alley in Kenosha a year ago. Police said evidence of Gattone’s body showed she had died somewhere else of an overdose before her body was dumped in the alley.
Investigators said DNA evidence led them to Rutchik.
According to a witness, Rutchik admitted to partying with the victim and didn’t take Gattone’s body to the hospital because he was afraid he’d get in trouble, the Kenosha News (https://bit.ly/2jA11wS ) reported. Another witness later told police Rutchik told him a similar story.
On Monday, Rutchik told a detective he met Gattone at a needle exchange facility and offered her a ride before bringing her to his home, where they both used heroin.
Defense attorney Angela Komp said her client’s crime was one of panic rather that one of violence.
Court Commissioner Jon Mason disagreed, calling Rutchik’s actions “very inhumane.”
“Given the best case, he knew she was dead, dragged her out of the house and dumped her in an alley,” Mason said.
Rutchik’s bond has been set to $100,000.
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Information from: Kenosha News, https://www.kenoshanews.com
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