A man tied to the unsolved murder of Pennsylvania teacher Rachael DelTondo was found unconscious, from an apparent drug overdose, early Sunday morning.
WPXI reports that Sheldon Jeter, who is in his early twenties, was found unconscious on a roadside in Aliquippa, the same town where DelTondo was gunned down in her parents’ driveway on Mother’s Day 2018. No suspects have been named in the murder investigation, though authorities reportedly questioned Jeter, who was 17 years old in 2016 when he and DelTondo were found in a car together with steamed-up windows.
That incident is part of a convoluted back story leading up to DelTondo’s killing on a night she went out for ice cream with Jeter’s older brother and another female friend, who is the daughter of an Aliquippa police officer. A “48 Hours” episode about DelTondo’s murder that aired on Saturday night, hours prior to Jeter being discovered unconscious, explored the curious circumstances of the 2016 incident, which did not immediately result in a police report. But several months later, Aliquippa police created an incident report that was later leaked to DelTondo’s employer and several others. Though no charges were filed and both DelTondo and Jeter reportedly said they were just talking when an officer approached them in the car, DelTondo was suspended from her teaching position as a result of the leaked report.
According to WPXI, emergency responders revived Jeter with Narcan, which is administered in cases of suspected opioid overdoses.
CBS Pittsburgh reports that a witness placed a 911 call at about 4 a.m. on Sunday reporting that a man was lying unresponsive on the ground after reportedly being thrown out of a car. Police told the news station that Jeter stood up and walked on his own after receiving the Narcan, and was using profane language and gestures. He reportedly left his cell phone at the scene and later retrieved it from police, along with his mother. It is not known if Jeter received additional medical treatment.
Jeter’s attorney Mike Santicola told the news station that while his client had nothing to do with DelTondo’s death, his connection to the slain teacher has resulted in personal problems.
“He has had death threats, stress from the attention he received,” Santicola said. “He’s trying to make something of his life, but his name is forever drug into the mess.”
