Man Charged With Drug-Induced Homicide In Overdose Of Local Man

LAKE COUNTY, IL – A 21-year-old drug dealer has been charged with drug-induced homicide for providing the fentanyl that lead to the overdose death of Nathan Clyde, 19, of Mundelein, last August, according to media reports. James J. Murray was taken into custody last month after authorities determined he sold one or two bags of suspected heroin to Clyde just before he died. Murray is charged with drug-induced homicide and remains in custody at the Lake County Jail on a $750,000 bail, according to online jail records.

Authorities launched their investigation into Murray after receiving information from a family frustrated over a separate overdose of a male family member the same day as Clyde's death, the Vernon Hills Review reports. The family believed the same drug dealer provided drugs to their family member and to Clyde. Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther told the newspaper that man survived.

The drug-induced homicide case is the Mundelein Police Department's second in five years, Guenther told the Vernon Hills Review, adding that such cases are difficult to investigate.

"Although we ended up ultimately having a dealer off the street hopefully, we are in the midst of one of the most horrific epidemics we've ever seen," Guenther said. "Anything we to do to combat this epidemic we should do."

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Photo via the Lake County Sheriff's Office