Courtesy Photo­Image Jeffery Manary

Jeffery Manary was convicted Monday of intent to deliver two exceptionally hazardous drugs in the death of Esther M. Smith of North Platte.

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Manary was initally charged with homicide. He has been in jail since Aug. 4, the day after Smith was pronounced dead at North Platte's Great Plains Regional Medical Center.

When Manary was last in court May 21, attorneys for both sides indicated the case might go to trail. But a deal was reached and Manary plead no contest to the significantly reduced charges of intent to deliver. He will be sentenced July 30.

The case began Aug. 3, when emergency personnel were called to Elizabeth Crawford’s home after her sister, Esther M. Smith, collapsed after overdosing on meth. Smith was 45.

The next day, Manary was also arrested and charged with the same crimes.

During court proceedings, County Attorney Rebecca Harling said the night Smith died, Crawford helped her inject meth and then left her unattended in a room for about an hour. She came back in to find Smith unresponsive.

Smith had a long history of drug addiction and mental health issues, Harling said, but Crawford didn’t supply the meth.

Defense attorney Robert Lindemeier said the physical cause of Smith’s death was hard to pinpoint.

Crawford was initially charged with manslaughter, but was sentenced June 4 to 18 months on probation to a significantly lesser charge of attempted abuse of a vulnerable adult.