Two arrests made in the April fentanyl death of 19-year-old near New London, Minnesota
May 18—WILLMAR
— The CEE-VI Drug and Gang Task Force, along with the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office, arrested two individuals on Tuesday in connection with the fentanyl overdose death last month of a 19-year-old Pennock woman.
A 20-year-old man and a 20-year-old female, both of Willmar, were taken into custody pending charges of first-degree manslaughter and third-degree murder, along with other drug charges, according to a news release from the Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office.
The West Central Tribune does not typically identify suspects until they have been formally charged in court. Court dates are pending.
Samantha Myers was previously identified as the woman who was pronounced dead April 16 at a residence near New London where deputies and emergency medical professionals were called to respond to a possible overdose. An autopsy by the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office showed she had died of the effects of fentanyl, which can include loss of consciousness, low blood pressure, coma and severe respiratory depression.
A death investigation was opened jointly with the Sheriff's Office, Drug Task Force and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
On Tuesday, task force agents and uniformed officers executed two search warrants in Willmar, which led to the arrests of the two individuals. According to the news release from Detective Sgt. Kent Bauman and Commander Ross Ardoff, the warrant searches at both locations uncovered narcotics.
At the address where the male individual was arrested, more than 1,600 counterfeit oxycodone/percocet pills known to contain fentanyl and more than $4,000 in cash was recovered, the release said.
The investigation remains active and ongoing, the release said.
