Photo: DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images
In a case Historic for California, a jury on Thursday returned a guilty verdict to a man accused of second-degree murder in the fentanyl-related death. of a 26 year old woman.
This Thursday, August 31, jurors at the Southwest Justice Center, in the city of Murrieta, found Vicente David Romero, 34, guilty of the death of Kelsey King, due to fentanyl, on July 16, 2020in Temecula, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
In a landmark case for California, a jury has found a Temecula man guilty of second-degree murder for the fentanyl-related death of 26-year-old Kelsey King (pictured here).
For more information, please read the news release here: https://t.co/2GEjRTDMpQ pic.twitter.com/wKjf0opyna
— Riverside County DA’s Office (@RivCoDA) September 1, 2023
The judge deliberated for a day before handing down his verdict to Judge Timothy Freer.
“Today, our office has successfully brought justice to the family of a victim by obtaining the first guilty verdict by a jury in a fentanyl-related murder trial in the state of California,” said District Attorney Mike Hestrin.
“(Assistant District Attorney) Jerry Pfohl not only demonstrated that the law can be upheld in a fentanyl-related murder case, but also set a precedent for future cases. This verdict is a testament to our unwavering commitment to protect our communities, provide justice for victims, and hold accountable those who participate in the illicit distribution of fentanyl that ends in the death of a person,” he added.
Keep reading: $1.2 million worth of methamphetamine is seized in Ventura County
The case against Romero is the first of 23 active fentanyl-related homicides in Riverside County to go to trial.and represents a landmark case in California in which a fentanyl dispenser, knowing the risks, is convicted of murder.
To reach this verdict, prosecutors had to show that Romero knew in advance that fentanyl could be deadly.and despite this he provided it to King, so that it could be considered a homicide.
Keep reading: Woman overdoses on fentanyl on San Bernardino County sheriff’s patrol
The trial against Romero lasted five days, prosecutors called 10 witnesses to testify and showed body camera footage showing the defendant admitting to giving the drug and splitting a pill known as “blue” or M30 with King despite knowing it contained fentanyl.
In a pretrial open statement to the court, Romero admitted to five additional charges, including possession of drugs while armed, being a convicted felon and drug addict in possession of a firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Romero is in the custody of authorities at the Southwest Detention Centerand the sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 6.
Second degree murder carries a potential penalty of 15 years to life in prison.while the additional charges carry a penalty of up to six years and eight months in prison.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.. It is often added to other more expensive illicit drugs due to its extreme potency.
Keep reading:
· Fentanyl: alert young people in the United States that it is a bad time to experiment with drugs
Narcan: the opioid overdose antidote will be available in the US next week
Investigation finds fentanyl in drugs from border pharmacies