3rd Greenwich Resident Charged in Connection with Overdose Death

Greenwich Time- Police arrested a third person Wednesday in connection with the overdose death of Riverside teenager Christopher Harris, who was found unresponsive at his Florence Road home in January 2011.

Christopher A. Lundell, 20, of 5 Wellington Place, Apt. A, turned himself in to Greenwich police on a warrant. He was charged with possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia and conspiracy to possess narcotics.



Lt. Kraig Gray, spokesman for the Greenwich Police Department, said police held a non-extraditable warrant for Lundell in connection with the investigation into the death of 18-year-old Harris, who was found Jan. 8, 2011.



Lundell recently returned from California, Gray said.



"An arrangement was made between his attorney and the state's attorney for him to turn himself in upon return, and he did so," Gray said.



Two other Greenwich residents, George C. Ramirez and William Nelson, turned themselves in to police in August in connection with the investigation. Ramirez was charged with distribution of a controlled substance and conspiracy to possess narcotics.



Nelson was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and conspiracy to possess narcotics.



Nelson, Ramirez and Lundell were among a group of friends who went to Harris' home Jan. 7 to visit him because he was sick, according to the warrant for Ramirez's arrest.



Ramirez told police everyone except he and Harris were drinking that night and that the friends smoked marijuana, according to his arrest warrant.



During the night, Nelson and Ramirez drove to New York to buy the painkiller Opana, and Harris, Nelson and Ramirez all used Opana during the night, according to the warrant.



After being found unresponsive around 9 a.m. Jan. 8, Harris was transported to Stamford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.



Ramirez, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess narcotics, is scheduled to receive an eight-year prison term, suspended after two years, at his June 5 sentencing. He will also serve three years of probation following the prison term.



Nelson's case is still pending.



Lundell posted $1,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford June 13.



david.hennessey@scni.com; 203-625-4428