Butler County man, 70, facing murder charges in woman’s overdose death

CLEARFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man is facing charges related to the overdose death of a woman in Butler County.

On Thursday, state police announced charges against Sloan Dale Hanson, 70, of Clearfield Township.

State troopers were called to a house on October Drive on Oct. 9 at 11:00 p.m., for reports of a possible overdose. The coroner said a woman died at the scene from drug poisoning.

Hanson, who owned the house, was interviewed by police on multiple occasions. Court documents say he told police he would drive to Clairton to buy heroin for the victim. Investigators aid they saw Hanson’s 2021 Chevrolet Trax with his registered license plate traveling throughout Clairton City multiple times in October when they checked surveillance cameras.

The woman had been unable to walk for one and a half weeks and had not eaten for two days before her death, police said. Hanson also allegedly told troopers the victim had been stuck in a chair for several days and had not moved.

According to court documents, Hanson said he prepared heroin for the victim to inject on the day she died. He said he moved her to the bathroom to wash her because she had sores that were getting infected. While in the bathroom, he noticed she was cold to the touch and had shallow breathing. Hanson said he was able to get the victim to breathe on her own after giving her chest compressions but did not call 911 until after she stopped breathing, court documents said.

He faces a felony charge of third-degree murder, drug delivery resulting in death, drug possession with the intent to manufacture or deliver and involuntary manslaughter.

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