County man charged with manslaughter

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
Local authorities picked up a former county resident in Texas over the weekend and charged him in connection with his wife's death.
Adam Echols, 41, of Zachary Drive in Russellville, was charged with manslaughter, distribution of a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime and second-degree possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Franklin County Sheriff Larry Plott said Echols had been incarcerated in Texas on unrelated charges.
"This was a death investigation dating back to July 2006," Plott said. "We took the case to the grand jury and in the meantime, he got in some trouble and was sent to Texas."
Officials believe that Echols injected his wife with methamphetamine, which resulted in her death. Authorities said that Echols tried to save his wife by using CPR but was unsuccessful.
He is being held in the Franklin County Jail on $10,000 bond.