Miami man charged with murder after fatal fentanyl overdoses
A Miami man who was not only a witness to a fatal fentanyl overdose but also sold the same deadly drugs to another individual, resulting in their death, is now facing a first-degree murder charge, according to police reports.
The series of events
The incidents occurred at an apartment building located at 1122 Northwest 3rd Street.
Reports are that the first incident occurred on October 7, 2022, when a man was discovered lying unresponsive in a stairwell.
Fire rescue responded and pronounced him dead at the scene.
The following day, on October 8, 2022, another distress call summoned fire rescue to the same location, where yet another individual was found unresponsive, this time lying on the grass outside the building.
The second victim was also pronounced dead on-site.
The lethal drug
According to reports, the county medical examiner determined the causes of death for these two individuals on September 10, 2023
Their demise was attributed to a lethal combination of fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, cocaine, and ethanol, according to an official report.
Residents report
As investigators delved into the case, they found residents who recalled encountering a couple known as “Chucky” and “Hazel” within the apartment building in the days leading up to the deaths.
Reports are that Israel Medina, also known as “Chucky,” was arrested on November 3, 2022, in connection with two cases and agreed to cooperate with detectives.
While the details of Medina's interview with detectives remain undisclosed in the official report, Judge Mindy Glazer, presiding over Medina’s appearance in bond court, shed light on some crucial information.
A deadly transaction
According to Judge Glazer’s account, Medina claimed that he was present in the building when the first victim consumed the drugs.
Allegedly, the man found the drugs to be overwhelmingly potent and handed them over to Medina.
Medina purportedly watched as the man collapsed to the ground, unresponsive.
Medina proceeded to cut the lethal drugs with a lottery ticket and then divided them into two separate bags.
The very next day, he reportedly sold one of these deadly bags to the second victim for a mere $20.
The second victim ingested the drugs, immediately collapsed, and became unresponsive.
Judge Glazer ordered that Medina be held without bond and appointed him a public defender.
