First person charged with murder in Williamson County because of fentanyl overdose death

For the first time in Williamson County, a person has been charged with murder in connection with selling illegal drugs that caused a fentanyl overdose death, Sheriff Mike Gleason said.

Marek Dillard, 40, of Lockhart was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Remington Allison, 40, in Leander in September. Gleason cited a new Texas law that became effective on Sept. 1 that says a person can be charged with murder if through their drug distribution or dealing of fentanyl someone else dies.

Dillard was arrested Feb. 9, according to a news release from the Williamson County sheriff's office. He faces up to 99 years in prison.

A sheriff's detective was notified Sept. 21 about the possible overdose death of Allison that day at his home on Snelling Drive in Leander, an arrest affidavit said. It said a video showed Allison alive at his house that morning. In the video, he was "exhibiting signs of being under the influence of narcotics," which his girlfriend said she had seen him show when he took drugs that contained fentanyl, according to the affidavit. It said the video also showed Allison in a "drug-induced daze" before he fell on a kitchen floor, where he died.

The affidavit does not say where police got the video.

The detective later searched Allison's phone and found a text message exchange on Sept. 20 with a man later identified as Dillard, according to the document. It said Dillard told Allison he had 25 "blues" for sale. Blues are a term for pills containing fentanyl, the affidavit said.

Allison met Dillard at a Motel 6 on Interstate 35 North on Sept. 20, according to videos from the motel, the affidavit said. Detectives found that Allision had used a cash app to pay $180 to Marek, the affidavit said. It said Marek also told Allison on the cash app that he had given Allison 25 pills. Detectives couldn't find any communications in the recent history of the phone with other people involving the purchase of narcotics, the affidavit said.

It said investigators found 13 blue pills in Allison's bathroom cabinet along with a white plate with residue on it. Investigators tested the residue and the pills and found they both contained fentanyl, according to the document. The only other narcotics found were "muscle-enhancing steroids," the affidavit said.

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It said Allison's autopsy report showed he died from a fentanyl overdose. The Texas Department of Public Safety also tested the blue pills seized from Allison's house and found they contained fentanyl, the affidavit said.

One of Allison's relatives did not respond immediately to a request for comment Monday. Allison graduated from Loganville High School in Loganville, Ga., where he played football, basketball and baseball, according to his obituary. He also played arena football in Texas and worked as an electrician in the construction business in Austin, the obituary said.

More: Williamson County sees 4 suspected fentanyl overdoses in one week, including one death

Williamson County authorities have formed a drug task force to combat the fentanyl overdose problem. Thirty-five people in Williamson County, including in its cities, died last year from fentanyl overdoses out of a total of about 57 suspected overdoses, sheriff's Sgt. Heather Vargas has previously said.

Fentanyl, a synthetic drug, is so deadly that just 2 milligrams, equal to about 10-15 grains of table salt, is enough to kill somebody, according to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.

More: Authorities in Williamson County handle five suspected fentanyl poisonings in last week

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: First person in Williamson County faces fentanyl murder charge