SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR MURDER IN FENTANYL OVERDOSE INVESTIGATION

Published: 01/31/2024

SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR MURDER IN FENTANYL OVERDOSE INVESTIGATION

 

RIVERSIDE, CA – In November 2023, the Riverside Police Department’s Narcotics Unit began investigating the overdose of 35-year-old Christopher Lucia of Riverside after he was taken to a local hospital and tested positive for fentanyl.  Unfortunately, Christopher never regained consciousness and passed away a few days later on November 13^th.

 

Over the course of their investigation, detectives identified two people suspected of supplying the fentanyl to Christopher, as well as the person suspected of being their source of fentanyl.  The Narcotics Unit, with assistance from the METRO Team, served numerous search warrants over the past few weeks that included one in the 5500 block of Inner Circle Drive and 4900 block of Gardena Drive in Riverside, along with one in the 7200 block of Font Avenue in Jurupa Valley.  Detectives have located and seized more than ¾ pounds of powdered fentanyl, as well as evidence these suspects continued selling fentanyl after Christopher’s death.  Additionally, 11 firearms were seized during this investigation.

 

30-year-old Jaclyn Sherman and 37-year-old Miguel Garcia, both of Riverside, were arrested and later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for Christopher’s murder.  Jaclyn was also charged with possession of illegal narcotics for the purposes of sales.  They are both being held in custody on one million dollars bail.

 

46-year-old David Ray Mullins of Jurupa Valley is currently in custody with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for illegal narcotics and weapons violations and will also be charged with murder.  A fourth suspect was arrested and booked into jail for possession of fentanyl as well.

 

“The death toll from fentanyl overdoses in Riverside County continues to rise and put all our community members at risk,” stated Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez.  “We won’t stop fighting to rid this deadly poison from our neighborhoods.”

 

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said, “Along with our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to fight the fentanyl epidemic for the safety of our community. Those who provide fentanyl causing the death of another in Riverside County should expect to be prosecuted for homicide and be held fully accountable for the life they took with this deadly poison.”  

 

This investigation is still ongoing and there are no other details to release at this time.  Anyone with additional information regarding these arrests should contact Detective S. Levesque at (951) 353-7216 or [email protected]. 

 

Those wishing to remain anonymous can email [email protected], or download and use the Riverside Police Department’s “Atlas 1” mobile app by utilizing the “Send a Message” feature.  Our app can be downloaded here at APPLE or ANDROID.

 

For more information on fentanyl and the danger it poses to our communities, please visit the Riverside County District Attorney’s “Faces of Fentanyl” website at www.facesoffentanyl.net.