Tampa man charged with murder in fentanyl overdose, deputies say

A Tampa man was charged with first-degree murder on Thursday after deputies say he sold fentanyl that led to a deadly overdose last year.

Anthony Mansfield, 47, was already being held at the Falkenburg Road Jail on drug charges stemming from a November 2023 arrest, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. On Thursday, a grand jury indicted him on one count of first-degree murder resulting from the distribution of a controlled substance.

Shortly after 5 p.m. on Nov. 5, 2023, Querran Talley, 27, was found dead on a couch inside a gazebo at The Happy Travelers RV Resort in Thonotosassa, according to a criminal report affidavit. At the scene, detectives found crack cocaine, a glass smoking pipe and a phone that they believed belonged to Talley.

A review of Talley’s phone revealed Facebook messages in which he arranged to buy fentanyl from Mansfield, the affidavit states. Talley agreed to pay for the drugs via Cash App before he took a Lyft ride to Mansfield’s motel room, according to the affidavit.

Cash App records obtained by the sheriff’s office showed a $35 payment from Talley to Mansfield for the fentanyl.

In the affidavit, detectives described video footage that showed Talley entering a room at Garden View Motel, 2500 E. Busch Blvd., to pick up the fentanyl around 2:40 a.m. that day. A motel rental agreement confirmed that Mansfield was renting the room that Talley entered.

Mansfield is seen on video leaving the room for about 10 seconds before reentering, the affidavit states. Around 3:20 a.m., Talley exits the room and leaves the property in a black sedan. Lyft records from his phone show he was dropped off at the Happy Travelers RV Resort at 3:31 a.m.

Talley was found dead at the resort later that day.

On Nov. 16, 2023, an undercover detective bought fentanyl from Mansfield, the affidavit states. Mansfield was arrested, and during a search of the same motel room, detectives found crack cocaine, fentanyl and his phone, which had the messages between him and Talley.

On Feb. 26, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Talley’s death to be caused by the combined effects of cocaine, ethanol, fentanyl, methamphetamine and oxycodone, with the fentanyl being a “significant factor,” the affidavit states.

Mansfield has served multiple stints in state prison since 1997, according to Florida Department of Corrections records. He was previously convicted of charges including drug possession, drug sale, resisting an officer with violence and carrying a concealed firearm.

Mansfield was being held in the Falkenburg Road Jail without bond Friday.

An obituary for Talley says that he was a McDonald’s store manager in Chicago and a father of three. He enjoyed watching sports and had a podcast and a YouTube channel for Call of Duty.

“For six months, our detectives have worked relentlessly to hold this man accountable for taking a life here in Hillsborough County,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in the news release. “We will continue to fight against the proliferation of fentanyl in our community and hold those responsible for spreading this poison accountable.”