Kyle Police have arrested two men in connection with a fatal fentanyl overdose involving a 20-year-old man who was found unresponsive at a private residence last month.
According to police, officers were dispatched to the home after receiving a report of a possible drug overdose. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
During the investigation, officers recovered a white powdery substance from the victim’s bedroom. Testing later confirmed the substance was fentanyl. The medical examiner also reported presumptive positive results for fentanyl in the victim’s system.
Investigators identified 27-year-old Aaron Jones of Austin as the supplier of the fentanyl and 23-year-old Julian Escamilla of Lockhart as the individual who delivered the narcotics that ultimately led to the victim’s death.
With assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and other partnering agencies, both suspects were taken into custody. Jones has been charged with murder, while Escamilla faces charges of murder and manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance.
Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett said the department remains focused on holding those responsible accountable.
“Fentanyl is a dangerous drug that continues to take lives far too soon,” Barnett said. “Our department is committed to investigating these cases and holding those responsible accountable. We will continue working to keep these drugs out of our community.”
DEA officials echoed that message, emphasizing the ongoing threat posed by fentanyl.
“This case is a prime example of what can be accomplished when local and federal law enforcement work together,” said Brian Cole, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s Austin District Office. “Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing our country.”
Cole noted that more than 50,000 people nationwide died from synthetic opioid overdoses last year, and fentanyl seizures in the Austin area increased by 68 percent over the same period.
The DEA continues to combat fentanyl distribution through its Fentanyl Free America campaign, which focuses on education, prevention, and enforcement efforts.
Anyone with information related to fentanyl distribution in the community is encouraged to contact the Kyle Police Department at 512-268-3232. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through Hays County Crime Stoppers at 800-324-TIPS.
