Fairview Heights drug house reduced to a pile of rubble

(Editor's note: This story has been updated).

A blight on the City of Fairview Heights has been reduced to a pile of rubble.

On Monday, a crew demolished 20 Kassing Dr., a property formerly owned by convicted drug dealer Deborah Perkins.

But Chris Keel, whose daughter Jennifer Herling died of a heroin overdose at the house on Sept. 29, 2012, said she was "mad" that no one from the city informed her in advance of the demolition.

She said that she had wanted to see it be torn down, and says that a city official promised she would get prior notification. She did not recall the name of the individual who made the promise.

"That was to be our closure," she said.

Fairview Heights Land Use and Development Director Tim Tolliver said the house "with a long history" was among a group of properties slated for recent demolition.

Perkins had consented to forfeiture of the property in federal court in March 2013. After she was in jail - following sentencing in December 2013 - Fairview Heights filed a petition for condemnation and demolition in county chancery court.

Tolliver said the city waited for demolition until the U.S. Marshal’s quitclaim deed of the property to the City of Fairview Heights on Oct. 20, 2014, at which time it bid and awarded contract for the property's demolition.

He said he was not aware that Keel had requested advance notice of its demolition.

Alderman Josh Frawley, who is running for mayor of Fairview Heights, said it was unfortunate that Keel didn't have "that last bit of closure," but that once demolition permits are issued, contractors are allowed to carry out the work "whenever they can." The date and time of demolition is not determined in a permit, he said.

"We may find out as it's happening or after it has happened," Frawley said.

Perkins and her son Douglas Oliver currently serve long prison terms for distributing heroin from the house.

For the 12 years they occupied it, Fairview Heights police handled 66 calls to the home, but not a single visit resulted in the filing of a drug charge against either of them until 2013.

Perkins bought heroin in Chicago and sold it through Oliver and two other distributors to customers including former St. Clair County judge Michael Cook.

The enterprise flourished openly for years, until two guests of Oliver died, one being Herling.

Jessie Williams also died in the house and Perkins and Oliver dumped her body.