State’s Attorney Says Delivery of Fentanyl “Tantamount to Pointing a Loaded Gun at the Recipient and Pulling the Trigger”

March 24, 2023 Joliet—Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announces that Kiley Murphy, 34, of Elwood, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for selling heroin and fentanyl to a 24-year-old woman who died of an overdose in Lockport in 2016. Murphy pled guilty Tuesday to one count of Drug Induced Homicide, a Class X felony, and was sentenced by Circuit Judge Carmen Goodman to 10 years in prison.

On November 29, 2016, the victim was found unconscious in her home in Lockport by her family. The victim was transported to Silver Cross Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Medical personnel recovered suspected drugs in the victim’s clothing that the Illinois State Police Crime Lab confirmed to be .1 gram of heroin and fentanyl. Following an investigation, officers recovered messages regarding the drug exchange between the victim and Murphy. An autopsy revealed the victim died of fentanyl intoxication­­­­­.

“Fentanyl continues to be a major contributor to drug overdose deaths. Using a drug contaminated with or replaced by fentanyl can astronomically increase a person’s chances of a fatal overdose. This powerful synthetic opioid is like morphine, but 50 to 100 times more potent and deadly. Fentanyl is so deadly, its delivery to another person is tantamount to pointing a loaded gun at the recipient and pulling the trigger,”Glasgow said. “The unfortunate reality is that it has become commonplace for dealers to lace the cheaper fentanyl with other drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine to increase the high — thereby enticing the addicted drug user to come back for more and inflate their deadly profits. We will continue sending the message that we will not tolerate these diabolical deliveries, and will aggressively prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”

Since 2009, State’s Attorney Glasgow has charged 20 defendants in Drug Induced Homicide cases. One of these cases is pending and another was dismissed following the death of a witnesses. The remaining 18 defendants, including Murphy, have received prison sentences totaling 147 years.

State’s Attorney Glasgow thanked Criminal Division Chief Peter Wilkes, Assistant State’s Attorney Amanda Tasker, and Victim Witness Advocate Jessica Gil for their hard work and dedication in this matter. He also thanked the Lockport Police Department and Detective Chris Neyhardt for pursuing an aggressive investigation.