SMITH COUNTY, Texas — A Tyler barber was charged with murder Thursday in connection with the fentanyl-related death of a Tyler man.
Calvin Spencer is in the Smith County Jail for a murder charge and multiple drug offenses in connection with the Oct. 5 death of Michael Crone, the Smith County Sheriff's Office said during a news conference. Crone was found dead by a roommate lying on the floor of the bathroom at his home on County Road 490 in Tyler.
Deputies found a small piece of tin foil inside the bathroom sink containing what appeared to be a partially burned substance, as well as a paper rolled which appeared to be used as a straw. A neighbor stated Crone asked him questions about fentanyl in the past.
From interviews conducted at the scene, deputies determined that Crone's cell phone was missing, which deputies suspected contained information about his death. This also led detectives to theorize the cell phone was destroyed to hinder the investigation.
Documents revealed that two other men were arrested for tampering in connection with the death investigation. Crone's roommate Joshua Williams and neighbor Jasson New both remain in the Smith County Jail on tampering with evidence charges, which is a third-degree felony.
According to arrest documents, Williams and New destroyed Crone's phone in attempt to hinder the investigation into Crone's death. Williams told police he found Crone dead in their bathroom, he was scared and called New. Then, New told Williams to give him Crone's phone. New told Williams that he destroyed the phone, and investigators believe it was possible the phone was taken to New's home, which is near Crone's house.
Investigators believed that the phone contained evidence about Crone's fentanyl-related death. The document also noted that New and Williams had moved Crone's body before deputies arrived at the scene. New also admitted to deleting messages off his phone that were between himself and Crone.
New gave detectives information about a man known only as Calvin, who had a cross tattoo on his face and was known to have sold fentanyl pills in the past to Michael. Calvin, later identified as Calvin Spencer, was known to be employed as a barber at a truck stop in Tyler who cut Crone's hair.
An autopsy and toxicology report revealed the cause of death was listed as mixed alprazolam, diazepam, codeine and fentanyl toxicity. Based on the medical examiner's report, the cause of death was fentanyl toxicity.
Spencer was arrested and booked into Smith County Jail on Nov. 19 on several drug charges, one of which included suspected fentanyl tablets.
On Nov. 20, Spencer was interviewed by detectives at the Smith County Sheriff's Office, where he made admissions to purchasing the pills the previous night. Spencer also admitted to having purchased the fentanyl pills on at least four occasions over the past couple of months.
Spencer also admitted to selling M-30 pills to Crone, but that Crone had previously died, according to Smith County Sheriff's Office.
Detectives issued a warrant for Spencer's arrest on Nov. 20 on the offense of murder. His bond was set at $1 million. Later that same day, Spencer posted bonds totaling $50,000 on four drug charges prior to the murder charge being added to his charges.
At 9:20 a.m. Thursday, Spencer was taken into custody at his residence in Tyler for Crone's murder. During the arrest, deputies seized several handguns and 1,000 fentanyl tablets contained in a cell phone.
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