Man charged with first-degree murder in connection with Tallahassee fentanyl death

An investigation more than a year long led to the arrest on murder charges of a Tallahassee man in connection with the fentanyl overdose death of a woman last January. 

Kurstin Hinson, 27, was arrested on an indictment by a Leon County grand jury Thursday. He faces charges of first-degree murder, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, and other drug-related charges. 

Hinson is accused of supplying the drugs that killed Megan Hoffman on Jan. 1, 2021. 

Hoffman was found dead in a West Tennessee Street apartment by Tallahassee Police officers conducting a welfare check. She died of fentanyl overdose, TPD said in a news release. 

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Hinson was developed as a suspect and a search warrant was conducted on Jan. 27, 2021. During the search, 40 pressed fentanyl pills were found and Hinson later confessed to selling drugs to Hoffman during interviews with police. 

When he was arrested, Hinson was found in possession of pills with stamps identifying them as prescription Oxycodone pills on them. They were submitted for testing. 

Hoffman’s parents provided a statement through TPD that they were appreciative of the investigation and comments targeted at the explosion of fentanyl on the illegal drug market. 

“With the incredible increase in fentanyl related deaths, we feel very fortunate to have the ability to seek justice for Megan when so many families never know. We sincerely hope this helps shine a bright light on the personal aspects of this epidemic and that Megan's death will have an impact on the greater good. She was a bright light in everyone's life that was extinguished far too soon."

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Fentanyl overdose deaths have hit neighboring counties hard. Gadsden County is grappling with a string of deaths in early July that has been labeled a crisis. Deaths in the small town of Chattahoochee occurred a month before that.

In all, nine people died in 16 overdoses in Gadsden County over the Fourth of July weekend in a “mass fentanyl poisoning event.”

No arrests connected to the overdoses have been made. 

The high-profile incident caught the attention of state officials, leading Casey DeSantis to blast the Biden administration at a press conference for not doing more to keep fentanyl out of the country.

Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.

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