CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (WCMH) — After Koby Roush’s car was found abandoned on in southeastern Ohio in July 2020, the Pike County Sheriff’s Office called over to its counterpart in Ross County with a request:
Deputies wanted to question Luke Farmer about a double homicide, and they thought he was in Ross County.
According to sheriff’s office records, a person told the deputies that Farmer had “told him in person that he had murdered two people.”
NBC4 has learned through a source that one of those people was Roush, who hasn’t been seen alive since, nor has his body been found.
Search for Luke Farmer
Ross County deputies went on July 20, 2020, to a Chillicothe home where they thought Farmer was staying, according to a report filed with the Ross County Sheriff’s Office.
Seven people from law enforcement were present. One of them “ordered Mr. Farmer out of the house over his cruiser’s PA system.” A man came out and told deputies that Farmer wasn’t there and didn’t live there.
The man allowed officers to search his home. Three people searched the house, but they didn’t find Farmer.
Luke Farmer died 11 hours later
According to the coroner’s verdict, Luke Farmer, of Liberty Hill Road in Chillicothe, died the next day, being pronounced dead at 3:11 a.m. from a drug overdose at a home near Waverly in Pike County. He collapsed in front of friends who attempted CPR and administered Narcan, according to the coroner’s report.
Blood from Farmer was collected hours later and sent to the Ross County coroner for testing. The toxicology report on Aug. 6, 2020, showed Farmer’s blood tested positive for amphetamine, methamphetamine, and designer opioids 4-ANPP, fentanyl, and norfentanyl.
Coroner Benjamin Trotter said in his report that the death was accidental.
“According to information provided to this office, Mr. Farmer was found unresponsive at the above residence,” the coroner’s report said. “A forensic toxicology was performed. After the investigation was completed it was determined that the cause of death was due to multiple drug overdose and the manner was Accident,” the report concluded.
Why Farmer’s death was ruled accidental
In reviewing toxicology reports, the coroner’s office looks at the levels of each drug found. It also looks at whether the drug was metabolized. In Farmer’s case, the coroner found metabolites of fentanyl and methamphetamine in blood and urine.
Trotter said an accidental death ruling occurs when a person takes the drug and had no intention of killing themselves.
“A ‘hot shot’ is an arbitrary term,” he said. “Drugs now are so pure that people who use them are in danger. They are all cut and laced, and not like a drug from a pharmacy. In this case, he had the same drugs in his urine so he had been using them well before he died. He had been using them for hours prior to him passing away.”
Reward for finding Roush
Roush’s family has put out a $5,000 reward to help find him. They are asking hunters and foragers in the area to look out for his remains.
Anyone who may have information about the case is encouraged to call BCI at 855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6446) or submit a missing persons tip through the BCI website.
Or call Crime Stoppers and leave an anonymous tip at 614-461-8477 or online.
