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Bail set for Palatine woman charged in friend’s drug death

A Palatine woman is being held in Cook County Jail on $250,000 bail Saturday following charges that she is responsible for the drug-induced homicide of a 34-year-old man that occurred in May.

Michelle Johnson, 40, appeared in bond court Saturday morning in Chicago to answer for the charges for the first time.

The arrest was the result of a Cook County sheriff’s investigation the into a May theft of pharmaceutical-grade morphine at a medical facility in unincorporated Maine Township, where Johnson worked as a nursing assistant.

Sheriff’s detectives then learned that Palatine police were investigating the death of John Mayer, who was found dead at his home on the 700 block of Whispering Oaks. Palatine police found morphine at the home that was prescribed to another person.

Authorities determined that the morphine Maher ingested was stolen from the medical facility. Johnson and Maher were friends and were together after the drug theft, authorities said.

In addition to the drug induced-homicide charge, Johnson was also charged with theft over $500 and delivery of a controlled substance.

Ÿ Senior Writer James Fuller contributed to this report

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