Charges filed in overdose death at Concordia University in Mequon

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Shuntaye Crenshaw

Shuntaye Crenshaw

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Mequon — A 23-year-old Milwaukee man could spend 60 years in jail for allegedly selling heroin to Concordia University freshman Caleb Ford, who died of a drug overdose in his dorm room Oct. 1.

Mequon police discovered messages between Ford and Shuntaye Crenshaw arranging to purchase a half ounce of marijuana, along with marijuana oil, ecstasy and heroin in the early morning hours of Oct. 1. Crenshaw was stopped for speeding near the Concordia campus that night, and his cousin later told police they were selling drugs to Ford.

Ford, 18, a 2015 graduate of Waukesha West High School, was found dead in his Wittenberg Hall dorm room the next morning. His mother told police he had struggled with drug addiction since high school.

Crenshaw, 23, of Milwaukee has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide for allegedly causing Ford's death.

Making the connection

Ford and three of his Concordia classmates traveled off campus to Dandelion Lane in the early morning hours of Oct. 1 to purchase drugs from Crenshaw, according to a criminal complaint.

Later that night, Ford's roommate, Jacob Galloway, remembers seeing Ford with blood running from his nose. Galloway slept in another student's room for the night because he was unsure how the drugs would affect Ford. When Galloway woke up the next morning, he went upstairs to find Ford dead, slumped over his desk, according to the complaint.

An autopsy found Ford's death was caused by a toxic combination of controlled substances, including heroin.

A Mequon police officer stopped Crenshaw that night, but was unaware of his drug deal with the four Concordia students. Crenshaw was cited for speeding and operating after suspension in the 11600 block of Lake Shore Road at 1:42 a.m. Oct. 1. Concordia surveillance video shows the four boys leaving campus at 1:31 a.m.

The police officer who ticketed Crenshaw that night did get his cell phone number, which was also found in Ford's phone history.

To build a case against Crenshaw, the Ozaukee County Drug Taskforce had a confidential informant contact Crenshaw through that cell phone number to purchase three grams of heroin for $425 in the Walgreen's parking lot on Jan. 27.

Crenshaw told the informant to get in his car, and then he asked the informant to try a small amount of heroin. When the informant declined the offer, Crenshaw asked the informant if he was working with police, according to the complaint.

Crenshaw took the informant's money and gave him a bag of a substance that later tested negative for heroin. The small sample he provided to the informant tested positive for heroin. Police interviewed Crenshaw and his cousin, and his cousin told police that they sold drugs to Ford on Oct. 1, according to the complaint.

Also charged

Ford's three classmates are also facing charges. Zachary Haen, 19, of Kaukana; Lucas Eaton, 19, of Lockport, Illinois; and Galloway, 19, of West Des Moines, Iowa, were all charged with possession of marijuana, obstructing an officer and possession of GHB. Galloway was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Concordia students were charged with obstructing an officer because, on the day of Ford's death, they arranged a false story to avoid drug charges. They told police they drove Ford to Walgreen's to get cigarettes, dropped him off at the dorm and then drove around until 2 a.m. eating McDonald's.

The three students were charged with possession of GHB because police found the drug in Galloway's vehicle the day of Ford's death. Police also found a yellow sticky substance that was not identified in the criminal complaint.

Concordia spokesperson Gretchen Jameson said the private Christian university is not immune to the problem of drug abuse. She said the university has a zero tolerance drug use policy.

"Our Campus Safety Office and Office of Student Life monitor these issues closely, and we feel positively about the lack of drug-related concerns that are prevalent in so many communities and on so many campuses," she said.