Woman Charged With Murder After Fatal Overdose In Hillsborough County

LITHIA, FL — A Riverview woman has been charged with first-degree murder after authorities said she supplied drugs containing fentanyl and carfentanil to a 36-year-old woman who later died from an overdose.

Katrina Broaddus, 39, was arrested Wednesday on a charge of first-degree murder resulting from the unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The investigation began after Katelyn Thall, 36, was found dead inside a vehicle in the 12000 block of Horseshoe Bend Drive in Lithia in October. Authorities said drug paraphernalia and suspected narcotics were found around her.

According to investigators, Thall met with Broaddus the night before her death and obtained fentanyl from her, according to the sheriff's office. Testing of drugs recovered at the scene detected xylazine, carfentanil, cocaine and fentanyl.

Toxicology testing found the amount of fentanyl and carfentanil in Thall's blood was 18 times a lethal dose, authorities said.

Detectives spent months analyzing forensic and toxicology evidence and tracing the drugs before obtaining an arrest warrant Tuesday. Broaddus was arrested the same day at her Riverview home, authorities said.

"This is the third arrest in two weeks on this exact charge, and dealers need to hear it clearly: we are watching, we are working these cases, and we will not stop," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement.

The investigation into the case is ongoing.