Steven Saleh Central Figure In Two Drug Deaths

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It's slow going down in DC, where coppers are still investigating the sudden, mysterious death of New York nightlife legend Dean Johnson.

Johnson and another man, Jeremy Conklin, died just days apart in former government employee Steven Saleh's high rise apartment. Both Johnson and Conklin knew Saleh as escorts.

While authorities are still waiting on toxicology reports, things aren't looking good for Saleh, who's taking a lot of heat:

…Saleh has emerged as a mystery figure in the deaths of the two gay men.

Police have declined to say whether he is a suspect because no evidence has emerged that a crime has been committed, police said.

Johnson’s friends have said Johnson told them Saleh is a former federal government employee who sought disability status for what he claimed was a work-related injury. Johnson reportedly described Saleh’s apartment as a “mini pharmacy,” the friends have said, because Saleh was taking a large number of prescription drugs.

Saleh told police that he had given Johnson a sleeping pill before his death. The politico also said Conklin took a pill before dying, but didn't say whether or not he provided it. Either way, Saleh's got a lot of explaining to do…

Coppers Searching Below The Belt

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Did a hard on kill Dean Johnson?

Authorities are investigating whether or not the New York nightlife staple died after mixing erection enhancers with anti-depressants and other drugs.

Cops want to know if a bad reaction to Viagra or Cialis could be behind the mysterious death of a New York gay-club legend who died in a Washington, D.C., apartment last month, a pal said.

Dean Johnson - the second man in several days to die in the apartment - may have had a bad reaction by mixing the erection-enhancing pill with other drugs or medication, according to pal Dale Corvino.

Corvino said Johnson traveled to D.C. to comfort an acquaintance, Steven Saleh, whose friend died in his apartment just days earlier…

If we were the coppers, we'd be looking less at erections and more at Saleh. Two bodies in a week? That's not a hard one…

Second Body At Frm. Commerce Dept's Employees Apt.

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The investigation into nightlife impresario Dean Johnson's death this weekend keeps digging up scandal:

A second man died a week earlier in the same D.C. apartment where cops found the body of gay nightlife impresario Dean Johnson, the Daily News has learned.

Violent crime detectives are investigating both deaths, which cops believe were likely drug overdoses. The apartment belongs to 47-year-old Steven Saleh, an out-of-work former Commerce Department employee who sent Johnson a train ticket to come visit.

The invite came just days after the two exchanged e-mails in which Saleh lamented that a friend had just overdosed before his eyes.

"It was his choices that led to his demise," Johnson replied the following day, trying to console Saleh.

Johnson allegedly took anti-depressants and sleeping pills, which may have contributed to his death. That and, perhaps, some bad drugs.

Don't forget Johnson's memorial tonight at Rapture Cafe. 8pm.

Friend Implicates Unknown Saudi

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Yesterday we delivered the distressing news that New York downtown scenester Dean Johnson has died.

While we've got no fresh details on the Velvet Mafia front man's DC death, there are a few rumors floating around, including talk of murder.

Lower East Side photographer John Penley told Page Six that e-mails from Johnson's computer reveal he'd been going to D.C. regularly "to set up weird sex parties for a wealthy Saudi guy. Nobody knows his identity, but it's all very suspicious." Dean, who had a history of drug use, had no ID on him when his body was discovered, and stayed in the morgue for several days before he was identified. His death in under investigation. Johnson, 45, promoted the weekly "Rock 'n' Roll Fag Party" at the old CBGB. "There probably isn't a single gay in the entire city who hasn't been to one of Dean's parties," Penley said.

Did a wealthy Saudi sex fiend kill Johnson? Who knows, but it makes a great story.

Speaking of stories: swap your favorite Johnson memories at tomorrow's Rapture Cafe hosted memorial: 8pm, 200 Avenue A.

Gay Icon Heads To Punk Party In The Sky

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New York gays are reeling from the news that legendary performer, writer and icon Dean Johnson died last week. Washington DC police found the 45-year old Johnson's body, but have yet to releas a cause of death.

Johnson has a New York nightlife fixture since the early-1980s, when he flung himself into the downtown punk scene. In addition to fronting two bands - the Weenies and the Velvet Mafia - Johnson founded Homo Corp at CGBG.

While we don't know why Johnson traveled to DC, we do know that he planned on returning this week to organize October 10th, Dean Johnson's weekly Reading For Filth at Rapture Cafe.

Unfortunately, Johnson won't be making it this week, but well wishers are encouraged to roll on through and rock out. As someone said, "He would have wanted it that way". Too true.



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