Justice for Logan Starliper, 3: She died of mixed-drug toxicity while caretakers shot meth

Carley Bonk
Chambersburg Public Opinion

Three-year-old Logan Starliper was dead for nearly a day before 911 was called. Methamphetamines and buprenorphine, an opioid used to treat drug addiction, were found in the toddler's system. She died of mixed-drug toxicity on Jan. 5, 2018.

While she lay dead on her bed, her mother's boyfriend, Brian Bennett, went to buy more meth and conducted several Google searches relating to infant CPR.

"It was horrible, I just panicked," he said on the stand during his trial in Franklin County Court this week. "I didn't want to come down from the high."

Bennett, 32, of Greencastle, and 66-year-old Thomas Keogh, of Connecticut — were on trial for a litany of charges related to Logan's death.

The abuse started well before Jan. 5, 2018, photos presented during the trial showed. In a home where Bennett and Logan's mother, Brittany Higgins, were shooting up meth, anger toward the children getting in their way often turned physical.

Bennett, who was not the biological father of either Logan or her older brother Landon, also testified that he would physically discipline the children.

"There were times where it was discipline and there were times that maybe I hit them too hard," Bennett said.

Disturbing photos from the crime scene showed the little girl dressed in Hello Kitty pajamas and surrounded by stuffed animals. Blunt force trauma was noted on Logan's forehead, as well as red, irritated marks around her mouth and cheeks that expert pathologist Dr. Samuel Land explained were from vomit sitting on her skin for an extended period of time.

But this wasn't just a case about child abuse. The Starliper case has been tumultuous, with nine individuals originally charged for various levels of involvement over the past three and a half years since Logan's death. 

Seven defendants in the case took plea deals, including Higgins, who pleaded no contest in December 2019 and is serving a 10- to 20-year sentence in state prison.

Larry Crawford, 50, of Waynesboro, pleaded guilty to manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent, corrupt organization and more. Rodney Mower, 68, of Fayetteville, pleaded guilty to one charge of drug delivery resulting in death. 

Daniel Schultz, 46, of Waynesboro, pleaded guilty to criminal use of a communication facility, and Michael Gatrell, of Chambersburg, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge. Gatrell died on June 10 at the age of 47.

Kelly Monn, 29, of Waynesboro, and Brittany Baker, 31, of Waynesboro, also took plea deals that left them both with one felony charge each — corrupt organization and conspiracy, respectively.

Over the last two weeks, dozens of witnesses were called and nearly 500 exhibits were presented in court. 

Courtroom #4 was packed to capacity Thursday morning, with many attendants wearing purple. The color was Logan's favorite.

Ironically, it is also the color that signifies September as National Recovery Month. 

Logan Starliper

The Case of Brian Bennett

Following days of testimony from experts, law enforcement and others who were charged in relation to this case, defense attorney Michael Palermo called his own client, Bennett, to the stand.

Bennett was candid about his regular drug use at the time of Logan's death. He referred to himself as a "functioning drug addict."

Photos of Logan presented during the trial showed signs of abuse, bruising and injuries well before her death.

But Bennett insisted under oath that he tried to treat both children as if they were his own.

The defense's strategy appeared to shift blame from Bennett to Higgins. The theory they presented was that Higgins gave buprenorphine to her daughter late that evening to keep her in her room so she and Bennett could shoot up meth and have sex.

Defense for both Bennett and Keogh argued that it wasn't possible to determine that the meth was responsible for Logan's overdose when buprenorphine was also found in the toddler's system. 

In cross-examination, District Attorney Matt Fogal pushed Bennett on certain points, including why he had a video on his phone, later deleted, of Logan lying dead in her bed. 

"I took the video by accident," Bennett said. 

The call to 911 was made almost 12 hours after Logan was found dead.

Fogal asked Bennett numerous times if he felt he was responsible for Logan's death. Bennett didn't provide a direct answer, saying he was unclear of certain details from that day. However, he repeatedly expressed that now he was a changed man.

Discrepancies between the "accidental" video on Bennett's phone that was taken that morning and crime scene photos show that the clothes on Logan's body had been changed sometime between 10 a.m. when Bennett discovered the body and after 9 p.m. when emergency personnel arrived.

Bennett denied changing the toddler's red shirt to the Hello Kitty pajamas she was found in.

The defense's only other witness was Hagerstown pastor Mark Reno, who volunteered with Bennett in 2017 at the local youth baseball league. His brief testimony noted that Bennett's reputation was that of a "peaceful person."

Closing arguments commenced Wednesday afternoon, stretching into Thursday morning, with the defense going first.

Palermo urged the jury to separate the tragedy and emotion from the actual facts and testimony presented in court. He focused on the commonwealth's burden of proving every charge "beyond a reasonable doubt."

Another main point Palermo addressed was the testimony of a state trooper earlier in the trial who noted that Bennett was more upset than the girl's biological mother. Palermo criticized the prosecution's decision to offer a no-contest plea to Higgins. A no-contest plea is an alternative to a guilty or not guilty plea, where the defendant neither disputes nor admits to doing the crime.

"If it were up to me, she wouldn't have gotten tissues on the witness stand," he said. "The tears came way too late."

Palermo reminded the jury of a text message Higgins had sent the evening Logan had died, right around her bedtime, saying:

"I'm just going to keep beating her — reminding her what she did because I enjoy beating her now."

"It's a cop-out," Palermo said. "You had the person who did it. Someone got away with murder, but she's not in the courtroom today."

He also urged the jury to consider the credibility of certain witnesses. He brought up another text Higgins sent on Feb. 2, 2018, that was presented as evidence: 

"I'm so afraid that if I don't cooperate and blame it on Brian or at least react this way, that they'll think I'm guilty too."

Circling back to his earlier point, he concluded:

"If it's a close case, you don't err on the side of conviction."

More on this case:

More:Two men found guilty of charges relating to the death of 3-year-old Logan Starliper

More:Mother of overdosed Greencastle toddler pleads no contest, sentenced to 10-20 years

More:Defendants in overdose murder case of 3-year-old Greencastle girl appear in court

More:Man arrested in Connecticut in connection to Greencastle toddler's overdose death

More:6 indicted in alleged drug cartel activity in connection with Greencastle girl's death

More:Many questions remain in drug-overdose death of 3-year-old Greencastle girl

The Case of Thomas Keogh

David Cherundolo, the attorney representing Keogh, argued that the prosecution failed to prove it was Keogh's meth, specifically, that was responsible for Logan's overdose. 

"Thomas was not here in Franklin County," he said. "There's a difference between someone dying from meth and someone dying from a narcotic."

He argued that the autopsy showed no issues with the child's heart (a side effect of meth), yet asphyxiation (a side effect of narcotics) couldn't be ruled out.

Cherundolo also criticized the prosecution's decision to give local drug dealer Larry Crawford a plea deal.

"They gave up the best guy they had for a guy who lives in Connecticut," he said.

'Veritas'

Fogal delivered his closing remarks the following morning. He focused on what he believes is one of the most important values this case comes down to: "Veritas," Latin for "truth."

"They talk about truth as if it were corny," he said. "Well, I'm a truth nerd. I've said this before, but this place is the secular cathedral of truth. To defend this little girl, I have to defend the truth."

Fogal held up the tiny red shirt Logan died in. It read "mommy's favorite gift."

"It's been a while since my little girl wore something this small," he said, holding back tears. "But I have a grandson that's 2.5 and he's everything to me. His stuff is that small."

Reminding the jury of the crime scene photos, he apologized for the distressing images.

"I don't want you to see this, but I have to," he said. "There's a humanity to this process. You're not asked to suspend being human, that's exactly why you're here."

Fogal then summarized the plethora of evidence collected through years of investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police and District Attorney's Office.

Phone call records, Walmart wire money transfers, postal tracking, Amazon receipts of drug paraphernalia purchases (eye droppers, scales, packaging, etc.) an autopsy report  and timelines that coincided with the events that unfolded within the Higgins/Bennett household were to prove Keogh's guilt.

"Meth was shipped from Keogh to Crawford from out of state, the last package delivered Jan. 4, the day before her death," he said. "It's all right here."

Testimony, phone records, timelines, interview records, an autopsy report and search warrant evidence implicated Bennett.

"Knowingly bringing methamphetamines, an illicit drug, into the home is malicious," Fogal said, pushing for a murder conviction. "The number one responsibility of my daughter and son-in-law is to make sure my grandson doesn't die. It isn't that hard. This should have been seen coming a mile away. This was inevitable. This is sick."

Showing a photo of Logan, smiling at the camera, he pleaded with the jury to remember the child this way.

"Don't remember the ugly ones," he said. "If you think about her, remember this one."

The last photo on the screen was from the autopsy, tiny, pale white fingers shown as if they were gripping the pathologist's gloved hand.

"It's almost as if she's asking for help," Fogal concluded. "She didn't get that in her home."

After four hours of deliberations, jurors delivered their verdicts.

Bennett was acquitted of third-degree murder, the most serious charge against him, but was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Logan. 

He was also found guilty of delivery of a controlled substance, two counts of endangering the welfare of children, criminal use of a communication facility and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was acquitted of drug delivery resulting in death.

Keogh was found guilty on all charges, including drug delivery resulting in death, delivery of a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and corrupt organization. 

Bennett's and Keogh's sentencing is scheduled to take place on Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. where families and friends will have the opportunity to read victim impact statements.

Carley Bonk is a Watchdog Reporter for the USA Today Network - Pennsylvania. Her coverage spans across the southcentral region of Pennsylvania. She can be reached at cbonk@publicopinionnews.com or on Twitter at @carls_marie.