Review: Drug Dealer Charged with Overdose Murder of Laguna Niguel Woman

Originally posted by Peter Schelden (Editor) , March 15, 2013 at 04:25 PM

A Mission Viejo drug dealer has been charged with murder for the November 2011 overdose death of a Laguna Niguel woman.

The Orange County grand jury indicted Louis Richard Wood, 35, saying he was present and supplied the drugs that led to 21-year-old Emma Wihlborg's death inside a Lake Forest hotel.

Wood's attorney denied the accusation. "It's a tragedy obviously, but we're going to vigorously fight the allegations against Mr. Wood," defense attorney Correen Ferrentino told City News Service.

Wood was arrested Monday evening and charged with murder. His bail has been set at $1 million. He is scheduled to be arraigned April 19.

This isn't Wood's first brush with the law. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to drug sales and was found guilty of drug possession. In 2009, he pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer. And last year and twice in 2011, he was found guilty of possession drugs.

Wihlborg was born in Los Angeles but spent time in Gothenburg, Sweden, Copenhagen and New York City. She spoke fluent Swedish, according to an obituary sponsored by her parents.

"Maybe the moving explains some internal turmoil and vulnerability," her obituary said. "She died too young to have found her direction in life in spite of enormous gifts that were left undeveloped. But lovable and loved she was."

Deputy District Attorney Susan Price, the prosecutor on the case, declined to comment until the grand jury indictment is unsealed.