Murder Charges Filed in 2023 Fentanyl Overdose Death

DULUTH, Minn. – The man, who authorities allege sold fentanyl laced oxycontin that caused the overdose death of a Duluth woman in 2023, was arrested on murder charges Tuesday afternoon.

Jason Allen Nelson, 32, was arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges of 3rd-degree murder by means of selling or distributing fentanyl.  A warrant for his arrest, according to St. Louis County records, was issued the day prior.

Charging documents state that on Dec. 23, 2023, Duluth Police responded to the Lenox Apartments for reports of an overdose. The subject a call only referred to in reports as a woman born in 1977, died and an autopsy concluded the cause of death to be “an accident due to the toxic effects of fentanyl.”

In their report, police say the woman would typically buy “blues,” a street term for pressed oxycontin pills, from an individual only known as “Jake.” The woman was allegedly “ripped off” by Jake in a previous deal, so his source, determined to be Nelson, reached out to make up for the previous deal.

On Dec. 22, the woman messaged Nelson to request 10 pills. According to the report, at 11:09 pm, Nelson started messaging a “Taylor Harker asking to get $100 worth of “blue.”

At 12:48 am, Nelson messaged the woman he was on his way to the apartments but only had eight pills.  Nelson then informed the woman he was in the parking lot but that he would get the two other pills in the morning.

At 2:20 am, the woman’s significant other arrived home and the two went to bed around 4:00 am. The woman reportedly started fading out but eventually fell asleep. The boyfriend, who was the initial 911 caller, told police he left the bedroom to smoke a cigarette, and when he returned, he said he found the woman lying face down and not breathing.

Officers reported finding seven blue pills with an “M30” imprint, which can be seen on both real and fake oxycontin pills.
One pill was analyzed as a sample by the BCA, which indicated the pill contained fentanyl.