Oct. 12, 2019

A Lee’s Summit man has been charged with Murder 2nd Degree after he dealt drugs to a woman who died a short time later as a result of overdosing on heroin and fentanyl, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.

Jared M. Daniels, dob: 1/29/1991, faces Murder 2nd Degree and Delivery of Controlled Substances.*

According to court records, the victim, Taylor Stephens, 23, was pronounced dead on March 28, 2019 after she was found in a bathtub in a residence in the 1700 block of NE White Drive in Lee’s Summit.

The Medical Examiner later concluded she died from drowning, but an “other significant condition” was acute heroin and fentanyl intoxication.

Lee’s Summit detectives received information that the defendant was selling heroin, and a witness told police the victim had obtained heroin from the defendant.

The defendant told police in an interview that he supplied the victim with heroin on March 28, 2019 shortly before she died. Text messages on the victim’s phone confirmed the defendant supplied the victim drugs on March 28, 2019.

During the Lee’s Summit police investigation of Stephen’s death, they learned of another overdose victim who obtained heroin from the defendant. He died three days before Stephens.

This is the first case of this type, where a drug dealer is charged in connection with the death from overdose, Prosecutor Baker noted.

“The Lee’s Summit Police Department deserve the community’s commendation for not giving up,” Baker stated. “They certainly have mine. They kept working to get us to these charges.”

Prosecutors requested a $250,000/10 percent bond.

*Charges are only accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until the defendant is either found guilty or has pleaded. Charging Document(s)

https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/civicalerts.aspx?AID=846