Arrest warrant issued for Elwood drug-induced homicide defendant

The new Will County Courthouse opened for the public in November of 2020.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of an Elwood woman charged in a drug-induced homicide case when she failed to make a court appearance, court records show.

On Wednesday, Judge Carmen Goodman approved a $250,000 warrant for the arrest of Kiley Murphy, 32, after she didn’t show up for a court hearing in a case where she’s charged with causing the drug overdose death of Celeste Roppo, 24, of Lockport.

Goodman also ordered the forfeiture of the previous bond that Murphy’s friend Stephen Carroll posted for her release from jail on Feb. 20. Carroll posted 10% of the $250,000 bond that was set for Murphy.

Prosecutors have filed a motion seeking to determine the source of the money used to free Murphy from jail. Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Amanda Tasker filed a petition that claimed Murphy has not shown proof of employment or income since 2011.

“The defendant does not appear to have any income from legitimate sources to post bail,” Tasker’s petition said.

Murphy and Steven Talbot, 33, have been charged with drug-induced homicide in connection with Roppo’s death. Both have pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Roppo died on Nov. 29, 2016, after consuming heroin mixed with fentanyl that was allegedly sold to her by Murphy and Talbot, Lockport police said. The cause of Roppo’s death was fentanyl intoxication, court records show.

Talbot filed a motion to have his case separated from Murphy’s by claiming she plans to accuse him of being the actual perpetrator of the crime that led to Roppo’s death.

Talbot has claimed in a court motion that he was under the influence of Xanax, fentanyl, heroin and alcohol and he did not sleep for more than 52 hours while he was interrogated by Lockport police.

Talbot claimed he was “persuaded into agreeing with the officers’ allegations.”

On June 26, Talbot filed a federal lawsuit against Joliet and Lockport police departments that demanded $15 million in compensation. The suit claimed both departments neglected his medical needs and put his life in danger.

U.S. Judge Manish Shah tossed the lawsuit after Talbot failed to pay a $400 court filing fee by Aug. 24, court records show.