Beverly Burrell To Receive No Additional Prison Time For 2 More Heroin Deaths
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Families question whether a notorious drug dealer's punishment fits the crime. Beverly Burrell is already behind bars for killing three men with heroin.
The relatives of two more victims just learned that she won't be locked up any longer for their losses.
"Nick was such a good man and we miss him every day," said Julie Petrick, Nick's mom.
More than three years have passed since Nick Petrick and Spencer Johnson died from smoking heroin laced with fentanyl. The body of Nick Petrick was found in his car in a Costco parking lot. Two weeks earlier, it was 34-year-old Spencer Johnson's body found in the bathroom of a sober house.
Burrell's same drugs were in his system. On Friday, their families faced the woman who sold their loved ones the drugs.
"I do not blame Beverly Burrell for Nick's addiction. I blame her for her greed and turning a profit and risking lives with no remorse," said Cari Goodman, Nick's sister.
Petrick and Johnson were the last two deaths connected to Beverly Burrell's drugs-- though she won't serve any additional time for pleading guilty to them.
Burrell is already serving a 21-year sentence, but in Minnesota prisoners only serve two-thirds of their sentence-- meaning Burrell will likely be on parole after 14 years.
It's a punishment some don't believe is fair.
"It's over from a legal standpoint for all of us, but we will forever be living without our children," said Colleen Ronnei, mother of Luke Ronnei.
Luke was one of Burrell's victims. His family said her penalty does not fit her crimes.
"I think that is a case where we should be able to bring the most stringent penalties and longer, otherwise drug dealers will keep selling drugs," said David Ronnei, Luke's father.
Burrell has already served three years.
She has never issued an apology to the families, but in court today her attorney did say she is remorseful.
