Hearing Begins For North Bay Doctor Accused In Opioid Deaths

SANTA ROSA, CA — A preliminary hearing began Tuesday in Sonoma County Superior Court for a Santa Rosa doctor who has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder of four patients by allegedly prescribing dangerously high levels of addictive opioids and narcotics to them in 2016 and 2017.

Dr. Thomas Keller, 72, also pleaded not guilty to elder abuse of a fifth patient between 2014 and 2015 who also died, issuing prescriptions without legitimate medical purpose to four patients between 2013 and 2018, and nine enhancements alleging he engaged in suspicious opioid prescribing practices.

Keller is being held in Sonoma County Jail, with his bail set at $12 million, according to jail records.

Deputy Attorney General Tommy Brennan submitted as evidence nine white binders containing the medical files of the alleged victims. At Keller's arraignment last month, Brennan said Keller had "a complete and utter contempt" for his patients and humanity.

The complaint alleges Keller over-prescribed and consistently and drastically increased opioid prescriptions of pain medications including Vicodin, oxycodone, OxyContin, Percoset and morphine at levels well outside accepted medical practice.

Keller allegedly also prescribed Soma, a muscle relaxant, and benzodiazepines that cause a dangerous drug interaction with opioids.

• PREVIOUS: North Bay Doctor Accused In Opioid-Overdose Deaths

The maximum doses of the drugs were in quantities upwards of 180-300 pills per prescription, and Keller allegedly ignored warnings from pharmacies and insurance companies, his own observations of his patients and knowledge about his patients' overdose deaths, the Attorney General's Office said.

Keller's attorney John Cox last month said the four alleged murders were actually three suicides and one accidental death. He said some of Keller's patients were very ill or dying and Keller did the best he could for them.

During testimony Tuesday morning, Sonoma County sheriff's Detective Theodore Vellis testified he found one of the alleged murder victims, Tripo Nelson, 45, naked and deceased on a couch with alcohol and prescription medicine bottles nearby. He said an autopsy labeled the manner of Nelson's death accidental.

Vellis testified Nelson's son said his father's health was in decline two months before his death, and that his father had broken his knees.

Cox suggested Nelson's health failed because he was on Medi-Cal and could not find a doctor willing to treat him. Cox also said there were three bottles of prescription drugs near Nelson, each one prescribed by a different doctor.

Vellis testified Keller was Nelson's doctor until Nelson "terminated him."

— Bay City News Service