Man convicted of murder in drug death is sixth Placer fentanyl homicide conviction
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- James Scott Teahan Jr. pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in a fentanyl death.
- Placer County prosecutors have filed murder charges in seven fentanyl deaths since 2022.
- Six of these fentanyl murder cases have resulted in homicide convictions.
A man scheduled to stand trial next week pleaded no contest to second-degree murder for a Placer County death from fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid that has been sold by dealers on social media and other online platforms.
James Scott Teahan Jr., 35, was convicted of murder in the death of Stephen Windham, who died from fentanyl on April 24, 2024.
Teahan, whose trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday in Placer Superior Court, returned to court Thursday morning and entered the no contest plea in the murder case, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Teahan on June 22 at the historic courthouse in Auburn.
Since his April, 24, 2024, arrest, Teahan has remained in custody at the Placer County Jail. He initially faced drug charges, along with unlawful gun and knife possession charges, jail and court records show. Those charges were superseded in August 2024, when the prosecutors filed the murder charge against him in connection with Windham’s death.
Placer DA’s stance on fentanyl
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire’s office has filed murder charges against seven defendants accused in Placer County fentanyl deaths. Gire has said his prosecutors will file murder charges against defendants accused of selling or supplying fentanyl when there’s evidence to prove they knew the drug could be deadly.
As little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Drug dealers mix fentanyl, because of its potency and low cost, with other drugs including heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, which increases the likelihood of a fatal dose, according to the DEA. It’s possible for someone to take a pill without knowing it contains fentanyl or whether it contains a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Authorities say fentanyl can be sold as pills with some online dealers claiming the pills are Xanax, Percocet and oxycodone. Fentanyl also can come in powder and vape pens.
High-profile criminal cases in the Sacramento area have involved evidence showing young people using their social media accounts, such as Snapchat, to sell or find fentanyl to buy.
Six homicide convictions
There have been six homicide convictions in the seven fentanyl murder cases Gire’s prosecutors have filed since February 2022. Five of those six convictions, including Teahan’s case, have ended with plea agreements before trial.
Only one of those convictions was the result of a case that went to trial, and the fate of that defendant, Carson David Schewe, was left to the jury. Schewe was found guilty of second-degree murder in Kade Kristopher Webb’s death.
The murder case is still pending against Christopher Kegan Williams, a Sacramento County man who is accused of providing fentanyl that led to the September 2020 death of 20-year-old Spencer Newsom in Roseville.
A judge in October determined there was sufficient evidence for Williams, 30, to stand trial on murder and drug charges in connection with Newsom’s death, court records show. Williams, who remains in custody at the Placer County Jail, is scheduled to return to court June 4 for a trial confirming conference. His trial has not been scheduled.
