Mahtomedi man charged in White Bear Lake woman's heroin overdose death

A Mahtomedi man was charged Tuesday with third-degree murder for allegedly supplying heroin to a woman who overdosed and died.

Adam C. Guzman, 40, allegedly sold the drug to Megan M. Burkard of White Bear Lake. Police responded to an apartment in the 2000 block of Dotte Drive about 8:15 a.m. on March 25.

Burkard, who turned 28 on March 20, was on the bathroom floor. She had no pulse, but was still warm to the touch. Police found her purse, wallet, a pink lighter, a spoon and a syringe in the bathroom, according to the charge.

Police and medics performed chest compressions and lifesaving efforts, but Burkard was pronounced dead at 8:45 a.m.

According to the complaint: Burkard was staying with a friend when she overdosed. The friend told police they had met in treatment, and that Burkard moved in after being kicked out of a sober house.

The roommate said she had driven Burkard the day before to a Super America in Eagan, where Burkard entered a car that pulled up behind them. Later that night, the roommate told police, Burkard stepped outside of the White Bear Lake apartment to meet with someone who the roommate had assumed was Guzman.

Authorities later obtained evidence from Burkard's phone showing that she traded text messages with Guzman from March 14 to 24.

"…Would u have money to front me a bag I'll pay u as soon as I get it from u?" Burkard apparently texted Guzman on March 24.

"Yes i can cover you," Guzman allegedly texted back. "…I can drop it off to you …"

Guzman was arrested on July 25, and allegedly told police that he bought one gram of heroin and gave half to Burkard.

"More efforts like this to hold drug dealers and/or providers are an important part of the solution to address the growing heroin epidemic that has taken root throughout our country," Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said in a written statement.