Woman charged with third-degree murder in August Eden Prairie overdose death

A South St. Paul woman has been charged with third-degree murder following the Aug. 13 drug overdose of a woman found dead in an Eden Prairie home.

Monica Jo Gould, 32, is accused of felony selling, giving or distributing a Schedule 1 and 2 controlled substance resulting in the death of Amy Portillo, 23, of Edina.

Portillo was visiting the resident of a home on Kara Drive in Eden Prairie, the complaint said.

Eden Prairie police were called to the home just before 10 a.m. Aug. 13 by the home’s resident who found Portillo upon returning home after spending the night at a co-worker’s home, according to the complaint. He told police she was his fiancé.

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An autopsy performed by the county medical examiner determined that Portillo’s death was due to a mix of fentanyl, parafluorofentanyl, alprazolam (Xanax), and ethanol toxicity.

Officers learned that Portillo had been visiting at the home since Aug. 6 and that the fiancé had last seen her the previous day. He said someone had visited Portillo the night before. He also told police that there had been no narcotics in the house when he left for work the previous day.

Police searched Portillo’s phone and discovered a conversation in which the victim requested that Gould bring her narcotics, which Gould agreed to do, the complaint said.

A friend who came with Gould to Eden Prairie told police she saw Gould and Portillo smoking heroin. After warning Gould not to give the victim more drugs, the friend left the house and waited in a car, the complaint said.

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Gould currently is in custody on $500,000 bail. If convicted, she could face a maximum sentence of 25 years and/or a $40,000 fine.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the victim’s name, which was released Dec. 13 by the Medical Examiner’s office at EPLN’s request.