UWM student charged in connection with heroin overdose death

GREENDALE (WITI) -- 20-year-old Tyler Schmidt of Greendale has been charged in connection with the overdose death of 56-year-old Tim Stanczyk of Watertown in December of 2012.

Tyler Schmidt

Schmidt faces one count of first degree reckless homicide (delivery of drugs - Len Bias law).

According to the criminal complaint in the case, UW-Milwaukee police responded to Sandburg Residence Hall at 3360 North Maryland Ave. in Milwaukee for a report of a non-responsive subject.

UWM officials say Stanczyk came through security, got a photo taken and was issued a guest pass in order to visit Schmidt, his nephew, a UWM freshman inside a dorm room in Sandburg Hall South.

Upon their arrival, police discovered Stanczyk unresponsive, sitting on the floor, propped up against a desk.

Stanczyk was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the criminal complaint, officers believe Stanczyk's death may be the result of a drug overdose, as numerous drug paraphernalia was found in the room, including tourniquets, cotton pieces, tin foil, a cooker tin and a metal spoon with residue.

The criminal complaint indicates a Medical Examiner determined Stanczyk's death was the result of a heroin overdose.

The criminal complaint indicates police spoke with Schmidt, who said he and a friend were hanging out with Stanczyk, when the two left the room to smoke a cigarette. The complaint indicates Schmidt told officials he did not believe any drug activity was going on in the room.

Police spoke with the individual who was in the room with Schmidt and Stanczyk, who told officials he had contacted Schmidt because he knew he could get him heroin, and told officials Stanczyk also wanted heroin, which Schmidt purchased for Stanczyk -- according to the criminal complaint.

The complaint indicates Schmidt and that individual went to purchase heroin, while Stanczyk, Schmidt's uncle, stayed back in the doom room.

When the two returned, Stanczyk indicated he wanted some cocaine, but Schmidt could not get in contact with any of his dealers, according to the complaint.

That's when Stanczyk said he would purchase some heroin instead, and the three went to meet up with Schmidt's dealer once again, according to the complaint.

After Stanczyk became unresponsive, the complaint indicates Schmidt refused to call 911, and went in search of some suboxone, before shooting up the rest of the heroin to get rid of it, and throwing needles down the trash chute, according to the complaint.

The complaint indicates two used syringes were discovered in a garbage dumpster that is accessed via the trash chutes within Sandberg Hall, and heroin was located within both syringes.