SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas — Three men have now been charged with murder in connection with a 21-year-old East Texas man who died of a fentanyl overdose in December.
Brayden Wooten, 21, of Sulphur Springs, was found dead on Dec. 23, 2023 and his cause of death was later determined to be a fentanyl overdose. Law enforcement determined two people who allegedly gave Wooten the pills, according to the Hopkins County Sheriff's Office.
The two suspects, Bryson Lacy, 21, and Xavier Hill, 23, both of Sulphur Springs, were arrested on Dec. 28 on a murder charge due to their involvement in Wooten's death caused by the fentanyl pills. Lacy was also charged with tampering with evidence for accusations of deleting text messages related to Wooten's death, the sheriff's office said.
Hopkins County Sheriff's Office and the Sulphur Springs Police Department SWAT team then executed a search warrant for the alleged supplier, Marques Hood, of Commerce, the HCSO said.
While searching, law enforcement found about 1,200 fentanyl laced pills, which have a street value of $12,000. Officials also located an AK-47 style rifle and a Glock pistol, according to the HCSO.
Hood was booked into the Hunt County Jail on charges of manufacture and delivery of narcotics and murder out of Hopkins County.
"Sheriff Lewis Tatum’s message to potential criminals is that if you deliver narcotics to someone and it is proven to cause that person’s death, Texas law states you will be charged with murder," the Hopkins County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. "Sheriff Tatum wants to ensure the public’s safety by continuing to proactively enforce drug laws in his community and arrest individuals who violate them."