Woman denies giving sister-in-law fatal drug

The woman accused of giving Melissa Best the heroin that killed her pleaded not guilty Thursday in Lake County circuit court.

Sherry Best, 33, faces a mandatory prison sentence of between six and 30 years if convicted of drug-induced homicide.

Sherry Best and her husband, Charles Best, 37, are also charged with concealing a homicide. Police say they abandoned their sister-in-law’s body in a Grayslake parking lot where it stayed for 10 days until discovered by authorities.

Melissa Best was reported missing by her husband on April 15, and police later learned she went to the extended stay motel where Charles and Sherry lived.

Police said Sherry Best gave her sister-in-law a dose of heroin that Melissa either injected or inhaled and led to a fatal overdose.

After Charles returned to the motel from his job, police said he and Sherry loaded Melissa’s body into the van she had driven to the motel.

Charles then drove the van to the parking lot in Grayslake, police said, and returned to the motel in Waukegan in the car Sherry had followed the van in.

Melissa Best’s body was discovered in the van on April 25.

Police arrested both Charles and Sherry Best on May 12 after toxicology tests confirmed Melissa Best had died from a heroin overdose.

Both are being held on $1 million bond.

Charles Best, who along with his wife faces up to five years in prison if convicted of concealing a homicide, is due in court again June 14.

Sherry Best’s next court date is July 5.