Deadly drug overdose leads to arrest in Currituck County

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An extensive investigation into a fatal drug overdose led to the arrest of James Hasty.

CURRITUCK COUNTY, N.C. โ€” A deadly drug overdose has led to an arrest in Currituck County, the sheriff’s office announced.

Nearly a year ago on April 26, 2024, deputies responded to the overdose death of Raven Massey on Taylors Road, not far from Route 168.

An extensive investigation led to the arrest of James Hasty on Monday. He was charged with death by distribution.

Hasty is being held without bond at the Currituck County Jail.

Man charged for deadly drug overdose in Kannapolis

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Alex Horne, 27, is charged with death by distribution in connection to the death of Rodney Anthony.

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. โ€” Police have arrested a suspect after a man died from an opioid overdose in April 2024.

Alex Horne, 27, is charged with death by distribution. He is accused of supplying drugs to Rodney Anthony, who died of an opioid overdose.

Anthony died on Fir Avenue on April 20, 2024, according to the Kannapolis Police Department. It took nearly a year after Anthony’s death to identify Horne as the suspect.

Horne was arrested on Tuesday. He is being held with a $750,000 bond in Cabarrus County jail. His next court date is April 9.

Morehead City man charged in OD death

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MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WITN) – A man has been charged with the overdose death of a woman last summer in Morehead City.

Morehead City police say Bryan Mace was arrested last Thursday on charges of death by distribution, possession with the intent to sell and deliver a Schedule II controlled substance, and delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance.

Police say Kaitlyn Curry died from an overdose last July. An arrest warrant said Mace delivered fentanyl to the 36-year-old woman

Mace was already in jail for related drug charges. His bond was increased by $750,000 due to these additional charges.

Woman found guilty of felony death charge following overdose investigation

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HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. (FOX Carolina) – The District Attorneyโ€™s Office for Prosecutorial District 42 reports that a woman was found guilty after a victim died from ingesting Fentanyl in 2023.

Heather Marie Maybin, 38, from Hendersonville, was found guilty of death by distribution.

The court trial record said that Maybin was a drug dealer who conducted her controlled substances activities over Facebook Messenger.

A transaction she arranged in the Walmart parking lot located off Highland Square Drive on Feb. 6, 2023, involved a quantity of fentanyl sold for $40, the court trial record said.


The investigation revealed the victim and a friend ingested the drug that evening through a hypodermic needle. The victim lost consciousness, stopped breathing and was later declared to have died from Fentanyl toxicity

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The Henderson County Sheriffโ€™s Office used a search warrant to obtain communications received through Facebook Messenger, court records said.

Maybin was sentenced to a minimum term of 66 months and a maximum term of 92 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections.

District Attorney Andrew Murray said โ€œMy office, along with our dedicated and professional partners, is committed to ridding our community of fentanyl by holding drug dealers accountable for these untimely and extremely tragic deaths.โ€

After babyโ€™s fentanyl death, Asheville mother found guilty of involuntary manslaughter

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  • A Buncombe County jury found Samantha Lynn Higgins, 32, of Asheville, guilty of involuntary manslaughter after her child’s fentanyl-related death.
  • Data from a state taskforce shows child deaths by accidental poisoning โ€” mainly caused by fentanyl โ€” has increased statewide in the past few years and โ€œremained highโ€ in 2023.

ASHEVILLE – After a day of deliberation over a partially absent defendant, a Buncombe County jury found an Asheville mother guilty of involuntary manslaughter for her childโ€™s fentanyl-related death โ€” an issue a state taskforce said โ€œremained highโ€ in 2023.

Samantha Lynn Higgins, 32, of Asheville, was on trial in Buncombe County Superior Court after her 8-month-old daughter ingested or had contact with fentanyl while living in โ€œan environment where the juvenile had access to and contact withโ€ the drug, police said in an arrest warrant.

Asheville Police Department detectives began investigating on Sept. 8, 2022, when the child was taken to Mission Hospital. Three days later, the infant was pronounced dead.

The childโ€™s autopsy says her cause of death was complications of blunt force injuries to the head, but fentanyl toxicity was “another significant contributing factor.” Blood sample tests during her hospitalization showed a “potentially lethal level of fentanyl,” and evidence of early organ failure was found during the autopsy, according to a copy obtained by the Citizen Times.

The child’s parents found her unresponsive early in the morning, according to the autopsy, which cites the Buncombe County Medical Examiner and APD. They took her to Mission Hospital’s Emergency Department, where resuscitation was successful, the autopsy said.

“It was reported to law enforcement that one of the parents asked hospital staff to use Narcan on the child during resuscitation, so a urine screen was performed,” which tested positive for fentanyl, the report said.

During APDโ€™s investigation, drug paraphernalia was found โ€œlittered throughoutโ€ the apartment where the child lived, according to a news release from the Buncombe County District Attorneyโ€™s Office. The autopsy said the source of the child’s head injury was “unclear” at the time the report was written. Per department policy on case details, APD spokesperson Rick Rice declined to comment on the circumstances that may have led to the infant’s death.

Woman pleads guilty to death by distribution charge

Read the original article on the Watauga Democrat website.

BOONE โ€” A woman pled guilty to death by distribution, marking the first conviction of its kind in Watauga County.

According to court documents, Angelina G. Miller, 30, was sentenced to 58-82 months in prison after she plead guilty to the charge that stemmed from a June 2023 arrest. She has already served 661 days.

Watauga County Sheriffโ€™s Office Det. William Watson, who was the lead investigator on the case, is pleased with the outcome.

โ€œOverdose deaths have too often been overlooked, but this conviction reinforces the importance of thorough investigations and justice for victims and their families,โ€ said Det. Watson. โ€œI extend my deepest condolences to the Greenlee family and friends mourning the tragic loss of Karma at just 22 years old. This investigation was conducted in her honor, ensuring her memory contributes to justice and awareness.โ€

Watson also expressed gratitude to the Watauga County District Attorneyโ€™s Office for its dedication to prosecuting this case, as well as the Boone Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Johnson County Sheriffโ€™s Office, Carter County Sheriffโ€™s Office and Hickory Police Department for their โ€œinvaluableโ€ support. He said the case was โ€œonly possible through the collective efforts of all involved.โ€

According to previous reporting by the Watauga Democrat, Miller sold Fentanyl to Karma L. Greenlee who later died due to an overdose on March 14, 2023.

WCSO detectives began an investigation into the suspected overdose with assistance from the Boone Police Department, Johnson County Sheriffโ€™s Office, Alexander County Sheriffโ€™s Office and the Hickory Police Department. Two suspects were identified for allegedly selling and distributing the Fentanyl that killed Greenlee: William M. Oxentine, of Johnson County, Tennessee, and Angelina G. Miller, of Catawba County. Oxentine will be served with the Death by Distribution charge once he has served his current time on the unrelated charges in Tennessee.

Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina Executive Director Barb Walsh said there were 35 fentanyl related fatalities between 2013-2023. Her daughter, Sophia Walsh, died in 2021 due to fentanyl.

โ€œUndisclosed fentanyl additives are found in fake/counterfeit pills such as Adderall, Xanax, Oxycontin and Percocet,โ€ Walsh said. โ€œVictims obtain fake pills off the internet like SnapChat, from local dealers or from friends. They do not know they are fake and deadly. A Pharmacy is the only safe supplier of prescription medication. Deadly undisclosed fentanyl additives may also occur in recreational drugs such as cocaine, meth and heroin. This is a public safety issue across the state.โ€

To learn more about fentanyl deaths in North Carolina and prevention tools, visit fentanylvictimsnetworknc.org.

โ€œThere is an antidote for opioid toxicity,โ€ Walsh said. โ€œIt is called naloxone, also known by brand names such as Narcan, Kloxxado, and Revive. Naloxone nasal spray can be obtained without prescription at a pharmacy, your local health department and from local Harm Reduction organizations.โ€

Watauga Sheriff Len Hagaman commended the investigative teamโ€™s hard work and emphasized the broader significance of this case.

โ€œWe hope that no other family has to endure the heartbreak of losing a loved one to an overdose. This conviction serves as a critical step in promoting accountability and preventing future tragedies in our community and beyond,โ€ said Sheriff Hagaman.

Man indicted for death by distribution, murder in 2024 deaths of Davidson County adult, infant

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Authorities arrested Donta Octovius Williams after linking him to the drug-related death of an adult and the death of a baby by dehydration.

DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. โ€” A man has been arrested after a grand jury indicted him on charges of death by distribution and second-degree murder related to the deaths of an infant and an adult who were found dead inside a home in Davidson County in June 2024, the sheriff’s office says.ย 

Deputies said the adult victim’s cause of death was suspected to be a drug overdose.ย 

During the investigation, deputies identified Donta Octovius Williams from High Point as the person who gave the drugs to the adult victim while the baby was there. 

Once the toxicology and autopsy results were received, the cause of death for the adult was shown to be due to Fentanyl Toxicity. The cause of death for the baby was due to dehydration. 

On March 24, a State Grand Jury returned true bills of indictment for Williams on the charges of death by distribution and second-degree murder, 

On March 27, members of the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and High Point Police Department arrested Williams on the criminal indictments without incident. He was taken to the Davidson County Jail with the pre-condition of release set to a $750,000 secured bond. 

Rutherford County man arrested during drug bust earlier this week now faces murder charge

Read the original article and watch the video on the WFYY News 4 website.

A man arrested during a drug bust earlier this week is now facing a murder charge for his alleged involvement in an overdose death.

On May 27, 2024, deputies with the Rutherford County Sheriffโ€™s Office were dispatched to a residence on Highland Avenue in reference to a possible cardiac arrest that appeared to be an overdose.

Upon arrival, deputies found the victim, Johnathon Pruitt, deceased inside the home.

On Monday, Rutherford County investigators began investigating a home on Harris Henrietta Road in Mooresville due to multiple narcotics complaints.

During the investigation, authorities spotted 63-year-old Kenneth Ray Melton leaving the home on foot. Investigators spoke with Melton and he gave consent for investigators to search him. Law enforcement found multiple baggies of fentanyl on Melton.

Melton was arrested and charged with the following:

  • Possession with intent to manufacture sell and distribute a Schedule II controlled substance
  • Maintaining a dwelling for controlled substance
  • Possession of methamphetamine
  • Possession of drug paraphernalia

Wilmington man charged for allegedly causing fatal overdose in Pender County

Read the original article and watch the video on the WECT News6 website.

PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – A Wilmington man has been arrested in connection to a death by distribution investigation in Pender County.

The Pender County Sheriffโ€™s Office (PCSO) says Anthony Quinn Marshall has been charged for allegedly causing the death of Jessica Kelly of Currie, NC.

Deputies and Pender Emergency Services responded to Blueberry Road where they found Kelly unconscious. Responders attempted life-saving measures but were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead.

โ€œThrough investigation, detectives concluded that the cause of death was due to a fatal overdose,โ€ a PCSO representative wrote in a press release.

Marshall was arrested on Feb. 24 and placed in the Pender County Jail under a $250,000 secured bond.

According to his arrest warrant, he was charged with death by distribution, sell/deliver cocaine, sell Sch II controlled substances, possession with the intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver (PWIMSD) cocaine, PWIMSD Sch II controlled substances, manufacture Sch II controlled substances, manufacture cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Woman went to hotel to reset her life, family says. NC man now charged in her death.

Read the original article on the Raleigh News & Observer website.

Ashley Lane (far right) poses for a photo with her son Ashton (from left), eldest daughter Alyssa and youngest daughter Cali.

Ashley Lane was happy being a stylist, but she also was a friend and a therapist to people who were struggling, even when her own mental health and substance abuse got the better of her, her family said.

On Monday, a Durham man was accused of selling the fentanyl that caused Lane, 39, to overdose Dec. 28 at The Graduate Hotel in downtown Chapel Hill. She died on Dec. 31 at UNC Hospitals.

Aaron Donald Brooks, 40, is charged with felony death by distribution sale, possession with intent to sell and deliver a controlled substance, sale or delivery of a controlled substance, and possession of a controlled substance, court records show.

He is being held in the Orange County jail under $300,000 secured bail, records show.

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