ST. LOUIS COUNTY • A Florissant man was sentenced Friday in St. Louis County Circuit Court to two years in prison on charges of leaving behind a friend who died from a heroin overdose.

Paul A. Tripp, 28, of the 1300 block of Flicker Drive in Florissant, was initially a person of interest in the death of Valerie Butler, who was last seen about 1 a.m. Feb. 11, leaving a Florissant bar with two men, one of whom was identified by authorities as Tripp.

Her body was found March 3 near Prouhet Farm Road in Bridgeton.

Dr. Mary Case, St. Louis County Medical Examiner, later determined that Butler had "a large amount" of heroin in her system and that she died of acute heroin intoxication. Case said Butler also had a tiny amount of the anti-anxiety drug benzodiazepine, but that it did not contribute to her death.

Tripp, who went to Hazelwood West High School with Butler, faced one count of abandoning a corpse. He pleaded guilty to the charge Jan. 3.