Sheriff’s Office: Heroin possibly led to death

PRAIRIEVILLE – Parish authorities arrested two people following an investigation into the death of a local man in the early morning hours Oct. 23, Ascension Parish Chief Deputy Tony Bacala said in a release.

Authorities were notified that Nathan Ruh, 44, of Rushing Road, was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital after being transported to the Emergency Room by a private vehicle, Bacala said.

After confirming the uniform patrol division findings indicating suspicious circumstances surrounding Ruh’s death, detectives were immediately dispatched, Bacala said.

Detectives learned that the driver of the private vehicle was Francanna Lachut, and that she and her boyfriend, Ruh, allegedly smoked crack cocaine earlier that night, according to Bacala.

Ruh had left home later that night and was not heard from again until Lachut located him unconscious at the home of a friend, Derek Guitreau, in Manchac Acres in Prairieville, Bacala said.

Lachut found Guitreau and Jan Blakely performing CPR on Ruh, according to Bacala.

Guitreau told them not to report the incident to authorities and to bring Ruh to the hospital, Bacala said.

Lachut’s body was then placed in Lachut’s vehicle and she drove him to the hospital, Bacala said.

Authorities executed a search warrant at the Paille Drive home, finding evidence of drug paraphernalia which was located and seized, Bacala said. Fourteen weapons were also seized, and authorities learned that Guitreau gave Ruth heroin before he slipped into an unconscious state, Bacala said.

Guitreau, 44, of 39344 Camp Drive, Prairieville, was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice.

Blakely, 44, of 16532 Issac Villar Road, Prairieville, was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice.

Bacala said that pending Ruh’s autopsy, toxicology and heroin testing more charges and another arrest are anticipated.

Under Louisiana Criminal Law of 2nd degree murder, one can be arrested for unlawfully distributing a controlled dangerous substance listed in Schedules I or II of the uniform controlled dangerous substance law which is direct cause of the death of the recipient. Heroin is an illegal Schedule I drug.