Kennedy Kirby: Texas man charged with murder used ‘unsuspecting’ Uber driver to deliver fatal fentanyl pills to victim

GARLAND, TEXAS: Wylie police charged a Garland man with murder on Thursday, February 15 in connection with a deadly fentanyl overdose that killed another man last month.

Texas authorities earlier arrested Garland resident Kennedy Kirby, an alleged drug dealer, after he "used an unsuspecting Uber delivery driver" to deliver fentanyl that led to death of a Wylie resident, per Fox News. 

What did Kennedy Kirby do? 

30-year-old Kirby, who is currently charged with murder, was initially charged with the manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance, according to the Wylie Police Department. On Thursday, February 15, he was formally charged with murder.

According to Fox News, authorities explained that the charges stemmed from the death of Jacob Bowers, who died of an overdose on January 11. Bowers’ toxicology report led authorities to charge Kirby with homicide.

"Through investigative techniques, detectives were able to determine that Kirby used an unsuspecting Uber delivery driver to deliver a package containing fentanyl to Bowers," Wylie police said in a statement.

When authorities arrested Kirby at an apartment on February 6, they uncovered thousands of pills of fentanyl.

Police said they found "22.3 grams of raw fentanyl, 1,436 M30 Fentanyl pills [and] 1,054.50 V/2090 Xanax Fentanyl pills."

Police chief calls fentanyl 'a growing problem'

During the raid, police also discovered "multiple items of drug paraphernalia consistent with packaging and delivering of illegal narcotics, electronics, handgun, and cash," according to the press release.

"Fentanyl is a growing problem in our country," police chief Anthony Henderson said in a statement. He added, "The Wylie Police Department will thoroughly investigate all cases of overdose and hold those persons responsible for placing fentanyl in our community."

Kirby was transported to the Collin County Detention Facility after his arrest, where he currently remains.

A similar incident occured when a man was arrested in Rockwall County for the fentanyl-related death of an East Texas woman who overdosed in late January.

According to the Hopkins County Sheriff's Office, per NBC, 26-year-old Tyler Bromley is charged with murder in the death of an unidentified woman.

On Tuesday, January 30, deputies said they found the victim's body inside her home in Hopkins County and determined she died from a fentanyl overdose