Escort was 'ice cold' in Google exec's heroin overdose, police say

Escort was ‘ice cold’ in Google exec’s heroin overdose, police say

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Alix Tichelman, 26, left, and her attorney, Athena Reis, in Santa Cruz Superior Court in July where Tichelman pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, destroying evidence and several other charges in the November heroin overdose death of Google executive Forrest Hayes.

(Monica Davey / EPA)

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Alix Tichelman looks back toward her family in the public seating area after her arraignment in Santa Cruz County Superior Court in July.

(Shmuel Thaler / Associated Press)

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Public defenders Jerry Christensen, far left, Larry Biggam and Athena Reis answer reporters’ questions at the Santa Cruz County Courthouse after their client, Alix Tichelman, was arraigned in the death of Forrest Hayes, a Google executive, by heroin overdose in November.

(Shmuel Thaler / Associated Press)

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Alix Tichelman, left, confers with public defender Diane August during a court appearance in Santa Cruz Superior Court on July 9. (Shmuel Thaler / Associated Press)

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A car sits in the driveway of the Folsom house that is listed as the residence of Bart Tichelman, father of Alix Tichelman, who has been charged in the death of Silicon Valley executive Forrest Hayes. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

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A message is taped to the door of the Folsom home that is listed as the residence of Bart Tichelman, father of Alix Tichelman, who is a suspect in the death of Forrest Hayes. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

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This undated photo provided by NorthFulton.com shows Dean Riopelle, 53, who died of a heroin overdose in September 2013 in Milton, Ga., about two months before tech executive Forrest Hayes died of an overdose on his yacht in Santa Cruz. (Jonathan Copsey / Associated Press)

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The house where bar owner Dean Riopelle overdosed Sept. 17, 2013, while at home with his girlfriend, Alix Tichelman, in Milton, Ga. (Ron Harris / Associated Press)

By Joseph SernaStaff Writer

July 11, 2014 6:32 AM PT

A high-priced escort accused of killing a Silicon Valley tech executive with an overdose of heroin on his yacht deliberately failed to help him because she’s “ice cold,” a Santa Cruz police official said.

Alix Tichelman, 26, is accused of having an “ongoing prostitution relationship” with Forrest Hayes, 51, a former Apple, Google and Sun Microsystems engineer who owned a 50-foot yacht.

It was on the yacht that police say Tichelman injected herself with heroin and then administered a dose to Hayes, who subsequently slipped into unconsciousness and collapsed. As he lay there dying, Tichelman allegedly cleaned up the scene and picked up her needles, drugs, fixed up the bed and stepped over Hayes’ body to finish a glass of wine.

Police say she tried to wipe her prints off the glass and closed the yacht blinds so no one could see inside.

Hayes’ body was found the next morning by the ship’s captain.

“She’s cold. Ice cold,” said Santa Cruz police Deputy Chief Steve Clark. “The only person Alix Tichelman cares about is Alix Tichelman.”

Tichelman has been charged with manslaughter, four drug-related felonies and three misdemeanors of prostitution and destroying evidence. She was arrested July 4 when investigators lured her to a tony Santa Cruz resort under the guise of being a client willing to pay $1,000 for her company.

During interviews with police detectives, Tichelman boasted of having a clientele of more than 200 “wealthy and influential individuals,” Clark said. She also had a needle full of heroin and extra supply in her purse, he said.

The circumstances of Hayes’ death have prompted police in Georgia to reexamine the case of 53-year-old Dean Riopelle, who died in the presence of Tichelman in Atlanta in 2013.

Riopelle, president of the Masquerade club, died of an accidental heroin and alcohol overdose while Tichelman, whom he was dating, was in the shower, police in Milton, Ga., said. She told authorities she heard a “loud crash” and stepped out and found Riopelle unconscious.

Milton police Capt. Shawn McCarty said they are “reexamining the case to make sure that we did not miss anything” in light of the charges filed against her in the Santa Cruz case.

Tichelman’s arraignment in Santa Cruz County is scheduled for July 16.

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna.