Transient man enters not-guilty plea in woman’s fatal drug overdose in Woodstock

A transient man pleaded not guilty Friday to the drug-induced homicide of a woman found dead in her Woodstock apartment in April with her child.

Alexander T. Rulford, 41, listed in a criminal complaint as “transient” from Woodstock, is charged with “knowingly delivering crack cocaine” to Valerie Underwood, 35, who died after inhaling the drug, according to the criminal complaint filed in McHenry County.

He also pleaded not guilty to unlawful delivery of a controlled substance. At the time of his charging, Rulford was already in jail on a separate charge of residential burglary, accused of stealing a TV from Underwood’s apartment.

Samantha M. Hagler, 41, of the 1200 block of Wisconsin St. in Delavan, Wisconsin, also is charged with drug-induced homicide and unlawful delivery of 1 to 15 grams of cocaine in connection with Underwood’s death. She is due in court for a bond hearing Wednesday.

On April 16, police received a call from a friend of Underwood’s saying she had found her dead in her Silver Creek apartment complex in the 1500 block of N. Seminary Ave.

Police found Underwood deceased, as well as her toddler, who was with her at the time, said Woodstock Police Deputy Chief Jeffrey Parsons. Parsons could not say how long the woman had been dead and for how long her child was alone with her before being found.

The caller said the child, believed to be about 2 years old, was “underneath her.”

While police were at Underwood’s apartment, another call reported a couple running near the complex with a TV.

Police identified the couple as Hagler and Rulford and were able to connect the couple to Underwood’s apartment and her death, Parsons said.