Manslaughter charge laid after fentanyl overdose death

Edmonton has recorded its latest homicide after police charged a 33-year-old man with manslaughter in connection with a fentanyl overdose death.

Police responding to a call for assistance found the 39-year-old victim, a Sherwood Park man, slumped over dead in a vehicle near Gateway Boulevard and 43 Avenue around 5:30 p.m. Feb. 28.

Edmonton’s medical examiner confirmed through an autopsy and toxicology exam that the victim died as a result of a fentanyl overdose, said police in a Wednesday news release.

Court documents identify the victim as Jody Angell.

Jamie Michael Dixon, 33, of Edmonton was arrested Tuesday and charged with manslaughter and three counts of trafficking.

The case is Edmonton’s 42nd homicide for the year, though police are not including two policeinvolved fatalities and a hit-andrun case where homicide charges were withdrawn.

In February, city police, for the second time, charged a man with manslaughter after a prisoner was given a fatal dose of fentanyl while two men were in custody in a downtown police holding cell in 2016.

Shortly before the manslaughter charge was announced, Alberta’s police watchdog, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), cleared officers involved in the case of any wrongdoing, citing no evidence of injury or use of force.

The case was included in Edmonton’s 2016 homicide numbers.

Homicide charges following a fentanyl-related death were laid for the first time in Edmonton in October 2016.