A drug dealer in southern Minnesota who lives at his grandmother's home day care has been charged with murder after one of his buyer's shot up heroin and died.

Ryan A. Anderson, 23, of Austin, was charged in Mower County District Court this week with third-degree murder in the December death of Tyler Burkey. Anderson remains jailed on that charge and earlier drug counts ahead of a court hearing next week.

A total of three drug-dealing cases have been filed against Anderson this month. According to those criminal complaints:

Police were called to Burkey's home on Dec. 18 in the 700 block of 11th Avenue in Austin and found the 23-year-old dead, his body straddling the bathroom and the hall, with a hypodermic needle nearby. An autopsy determined he died from a heroin overdose.

Text messages between Anderson and Burkey revealed they arranged a heroin transaction.

Anderson was arrested on March 3 at his grandmother's home in the 1800 block of 3rd Avenue NE., where he also lived and where she has been caring for small children for more than 30 years.

During the arrest, police found in his bedroom foil used for smoking heroin, other drug paraphernalia and a fellow drug abuser with Anderson. Children were being cared for at the time of the arrest.

During a police sting operation in late February and early March, a confidential informant arranged several heroin buys with Anderson, including one at his grandmother's home day care, where he handed over the drug through his back window one midafternoon.

When questioned by police about Burkey's death, Anderson first denied selling the drug to him but relented once he was confronted with the text messages.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482