Taylor County likely sees its first fentanyl-related murder charge
Jerrill Kenyon Russell has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and at press time remains incarcerated at the Taylor County Jail. According to Assistant District Attorney Dan Joiner, the case is likely the first murder charge in Taylor County related to a fentanyl-induced death.
New fentanyl-related legislation
Recent legislation passed in September 2023 which allows courts to charge drug dealers with a murder charge in relation to dealing fentanyl-laced drugs that result in death. According to a press release from the Attorney General, "In 2022, more than 2,000 people died from fentanyl in Texas—or more than five a day. It is the No. 1 killer of Americans ages 18-45."
These statistics helped to pass House Bill 6, which "creates a criminal offense of murder for supplying fentanyl that results in death."
The deceased was only 20
According to court documents filed on December 27, 2023, Jerrill Russell did "intentionally and knowingly commit or attempt to commit an act clearly dangerous to human life, namely delivering a controlled substance, that cause the death of Jessalyn Star Sturgill...and knowingly committing a felony, namely delivery of oxycodone or fentanyl."
According to court documents, on May 11, 2022, officers responded to a call and found Sturgill deceased "with a small baggie nearby that contained a blue pill" with an imprint that indicated it was oxycodone. Next to that blue pill was a rolled up $5 bill, along with some powder residue that matched the pill.
APD Narcotics agent Zach Verden "through training and experience, suspected the pill was a counterfeit 'Percocet' that actually contained Fentanyl." Verden then sent the pill to the DPS laboratory for testing, where they did confirm his suspicions, and the pill did contain Fentanyl.
Upon searching through Sturgill's phone, Verden also discovered several text messages between Sturgill and Russell, including photos that Russell had sent of himself to Sturgill. In early May, Sturgill had asked Russell via text message several times for "perks," which is "slang for the brand name of oxycodone, Percocet.”
According to court documents, Russell delivered two pills May 10, 2022, at 11:36 a.m. A final text message that Sturgill did not respond to was sent at 12:04 p.m. that day. It appeared to police as though she "laid down on her bed with her phone next to her" and "passed away in that same position."
The autopsy revealed that "Sturgill died from acute Fentanyl and Levetiracetam intoxication." Upon further investigation, officers identified Russell but he "denied knowing Jessalyn Sturgill." Russell did admit, however, that the pictures in the text chain were in fact of him.
According to Sturgill's obituary, she was 20 years old at the time, and was "a very good student and achieved many scholastic accomplishments."
Possible life in prison
Russell remains incarcerated in the Taylor County Jail at the time of publication. He now faces 5-99 years or life in prison, according to Assistant District Attorney Dan Joiner. The DA's office now has 90 days from February 5 to indict him.
Reporter-News will be closely following this historic case, likely the first of its kind here in Abilene, and its relation to the current Fentanyl crisis plaguing our nation. For more coverage on last year's fentanyl debate in Congress and why this drug is so dangerous, see USA Today coverage here.
All suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Taylor County likely sees its first fentanyl-related murder charge
