Fentanyl Claims 2 Lives, Hospitalizes 2 in Duson

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - It's been a tough start to 2023 in the town of Duson.

The city recorded the first homicide in Lafayette Parish on Tuesday when the body of Megan Goins was found shot to death on Stagecoach Lane. A suspect has been arrested in her homicide.

Then, the deadly drug that is fentanyl claimed two more victims in Duson and hospitalized two others. Duson Police Chief Kip Judice explains:

Here in our community, we have seen four overdoses in two weeks. Two of them have resulted in deaths and both of those individuals were found far too late to revive them. The other two people that overdosed are still in the hospital but are expected to make a full recovery.

Judice says officers had to administer two doses of Narcan to one of the people who overdosed. The other person was taken to the hospital by family.

A package containing crystal meth and tobacco was seized at the St. Martin Parish 911 center. But it was too late for the Narcan this time as the two victims died. Chief Judice says fentanyl seems to be everywhere:

We’re seeing it in every type of drug. We’re seeing it in ecstasy, in ADHD medication. We’re seeing it in methamphetamine, illegal marijuana, the illicit marijuana. It is in every form of illegal drugs or form of drug we can imagine.”

Chief Judice warns of the dangers of fentanyl and just how powerful it can be, killing someone within seconds of coming into contact with it:

There is a huge issue out there right now with the lack of education and I think what most people need to understand is that one pill can kill. We watch people that are one hundred percent functional to zero percent functional in less than two or three seconds.”

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We are currently actively working several cases, and we are expecting some arrest warrants in the next day or so. And we will be bringing those people to jail and have them face the fentanyl charge.”

Fentanyl has become a leading drug in an epidemic that takes over 100,000 lives each year, according to the CDC. The drug is often added to heroin without it being disclosed to the person buying the drug. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency outlines how dangerous fentanyl has become:

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for pain management treatment of cancer patients, applied in a patch on the skin. Because of its powerful opioid properties, Fentanyl is also diverted for abuse. Fentanyl is added to heroin to increase its potency, or be disguised as highly potent heroin. Many users believe that they are purchasing heroin and actually don’t know that they are purchasing fentanyl – which often results in overdose deaths. Clandestinely-produced fentanyl is primarily manufactured in Mexico."