State College man put roommate’s body inside trash can after overdose death, police say
A State College man was accused Monday of dumping his dead roommate’s body in a stolen trash can and leaving it at a property he believed was abandoned.
Christopher L. Hampton, 50, was charged with three misdemeanors after the man was found at a College Township property in December 2022. Neither the man’s name nor age was released.
He was not charged for causing the man’s drug overdose death, but a State College police detective wrote in an affidavit of probable cause that Hampton took several days to consider what to do with his body after a trip to Ohio.
Hampton told investigators the man fell during a stop at a gas station near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border and was injured. They returned to a home on the 100 block of West South Hills Avenue in State College, where Hampton said he “left him in the driveway wrapped in a carpet for a few days while he decided what to do,” police wrote.
A woman told officers Hampton texted her a bloody photo of the unconscious man on the drive back with a message that said “I think he died,” police wrote. The woman said the man was dead by the time Hampton returned.
She was aware the man remained in her garage for several days while Hampton “decided how best to dispose of the body,” police wrote. She also discussed several ideas with Hampton, police wrote.
The woman has not been charged. Borough police Lt. Chad Hamilton said the investigation is ongoing.
Hampton admitted to stealing a borough-issued trash can, dumping the man inside it and wheeling it to a building on the 300 block of Oakhurst Lane, police wrote. He said he put the man in the can by himself and showed detectives where he put it, police wrote.
A forensic pathologist said the man died of a drug overdose, which included fentanyl, methamphetamine and a powerful animal tranquilizer called xylazine. There were no signs of injury or trauma that could have caused the man’s death, police wrote.
Hampton was charged with abuse of a corpse, theft and receiving stolen property. District Judge Gregory Koehle set bail at $10,000. Hampton has been incarcerated since last month at the Centre County Correctional Facility on unrelated charges.
Centre County Deputy Public Defender Patrick Klena, who represents Hampton on the unrelated charges, said Monday he has not yet been appointed to represent him on the newest charges.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 12.
