Arrest made in fentanyl death at Walton County bachelor party

Staff report
·2 min read
2

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office has arrested an Alabama man in connection with an overdose death earlier this year of a man at a bachelor party in Santa Rosa Beach.

John David Nabors, 36, of Mountain Brook, Alabama, is accused of providing fentanyl-laced cocaine to several men at the party May 14 on Sand Dunes Road in Santa Rosa Beach.

John David Nabors of Alabama was arrested by the Walton County Sheriff's Office on felony charges of distributing a controlled substance causing death. Nabors is accused of providing fentanyl-laced cocaine to several men at a bachelor's party in Santa Rosa Beach in May 2022.
John David Nabors of Alabama was arrested by the Walton County Sheriff's Office on felony charges of distributing a controlled substance causing death. Nabors is accused of providing fentanyl-laced cocaine to several men at a bachelor's party in Santa Rosa Beach in May 2022.

Sheriff’s deputies responding to a medical assist call found a man lying on the ground unconscious. They immediately began CPR and administered an automated external defibrillator to the man. While doing that, three more men collapsed and became unresponsive.

South Walton Fire District arrived on scene and quickly began rendering aid with help from an EMT-certified deputy. All the men were transported to Sacred Heart hospital.

Thomas Gleason of Connecticut was the vicitm of a fentanyl overdose at a party in Santa Rosa Beach in May 2022. Authorities have arrested John David Nabors of Alabama on felony charges of distributing a controlled substance causing death.
Thomas Gleason of Connecticut was the vicitm of a fentanyl overdose at a party in Santa Rosa Beach in May 2022. Authorities have arrested John David Nabors of Alabama on felony charges of distributing a controlled substance causing death.

Days later, Thomas Gleason, 26, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, was pronounced dead. An investigation revealed all the men had come to Walton County for a bachelor party from Georgia, Alabama and Connecticut. It also showed that the underlying cause of Gleason’s death was a lethal dose of fentanyl, which was found in cocaine directly provided by Nabors, sheriff's officials said. Gleason’s name was released by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office with permission from his father, who has waived Marsy’s Law to allow the sheriff’s office to tell his son’s story.

On Nov. 15, Nabors was indicted by a grand jury on felony charges of distributing a controlled substance causing death.

"Our Criminal Investigations Bureau was able to prove the specific fentanyl dose that killed Gleason was provided by Nabors moments before his overdose," Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said. "This case is tragic and certainly one we want to bring to a successful prosecution for Thomas' family."

Nabors turned himself into the Walton County Jail on Wednesday and is being held without bond.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Walton County Sheriff's Office makes arrest in fentanyl overdose death