D.A. Explains Murder Charge in Overdose Death

An accused heroin dealer from Mission Viejo has been charged with murdering a customer who died of a drug overdose. On Thursday, the Orange County district attorney's office offered an explanation behind the unusual charge.

Murder charges are rare for drug dealers, sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino told the Orange County Register.

The D.A.'s case relies on Louis Wood's alleged foreknowledge that combining multiple drugs can have deadly results. The D.A. says Wood knew of the danger because he was present when a 16-year-old overdosed eight months before the death of Emma Wihlborg of Laguna Niguel, whom Wood is accused of murdering. The D.A. further says Wood knew the 16-year-old had combined multiple drugs, an action that led to her death.

Here are the facts surrounding the Wihlborg death, according to prosecutors:

• Wihlborg lived and slept with Wood for three weeks at the Extended Stay America motel in Lake Forest before her death on Nov. 16, 2011. Another man called "J.G." was also staying in the room.
• The night before she died, Wihlborg told Wood she "consumed a large quantity of alcohol and smoked OxyContin," according to the D.A.
• Wihlborg took prescription Xanax later that night. She also smoked black tar heroin Wood allegedly gave her and received a crushed methadone pill from him.
• Wood found her unconscious the next morning and tried unsuccessfully to rouse her with a cold shower. J.G. suggested they take her to a hospital, but Wood allegedly refused, instead leaving to find more drugs.
• When the two returned, Wihlborg was found not breathing and had pink and yellow mucus leaking from her nose. Wood tried to perform CPR and J.G. called 911. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the motel room.
• At the time of Wihlborg's death, Wood had allegedly been a heroin dealer for about 10 years and was using about 1 to 2 grams of heroin a day.
• Wood is being held on $1-million bail and is scheduled for arraignment  Friday.