Palatine Woman Charged with Drug-Induced Homicide

A Palatine woman has been charged with drug-induced homicide in the May death of a 34-year-old man.

Michelle Johnson, 40, was charged by the Cook County Sheriff's department in the death of Palatine resident John Maher.

Maher was found dead in May in his home in the 700 block of Whispering Oaks. Palatine police found morphine at the home that was prescribed to another person.

Sheriff's investigators, working with Palatine, found that the morphine Maher ingested was stolen from a medical facility in Maine Township. Police said that Johnson and Maher were friends, were together after the theft of the morphine and that Maher died as a result of using the stolen narcotic.

Johnson also was charged with theft over $500 and delivery of a controlled substance.