EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. – The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office has announced Kamal Babatunde Yusuf, 24, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the fentanyl-related death of 20-year-old Gillian Murray and faces a sentence of 15 years to life when he returns to court on May 23, 2025. This is the maximum possible sentence allowed under the law for second-degree murder.

“This conviction establishes clear accountability for fentanyl dealers whose actions result in death,” said District Attorney Vern Pierson. “The defendant was fully aware of the lethal nature of the substances he distributed and continued his activities with reckless disregard for human life. This prosecution reflects the gravity of the fentanyl crisis and the legal consequences that will follow.”

Yusuf sold counterfeit blue M30 Oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to Murray and her boyfriend on May 6, 2022,. The transaction occurred in a Taco Bell parking lot in Folsom, Calif., and the couple returned to heir home and consumed one pill each.

Murray’s boyfriend woke up and found her unresponsive, not breathing, and
called 911. When first responders arrived on the scene, she was pronounced dead. Subsequent toxicology results revealed she died from acute fentanyl poisoning.

Following Murray’s death, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Mike Roberts, of the Western El Dorado Narcotics Enforcement Team (WENET), along with other WENET detectives began investigating the case. That investigation revealed the following:

  • Yusuf conducted sales through Snapchat under the alias “Mr. Sneeze”. Snapchat messages retrieved by forensic teams confirmed Yusuf’s awareness of the drug’s potency. He instructed buyers to “start with a half” to avoid overdose, demonstrating knowledge of its lethal nature.
  • A search warrant executed at Yusuf’s residence resulted in the seizure of thousands of counterfeit fentanyl-laced M30 pills. Surveillance footage captured hand-to-hand narcotics transactions linked to Yusuf.
  • Yusuf had personally overdosed on fentanyl prior to this offense, proving he was aware of its extreme risk. Despite this knowledge, Yusuf continued to distribute fentanyl-laced substances with full awareness of their potential consequences.
  • While in custody, Yusuf was recorded in jailhouse calls instructing his brother and an associate to erase data from his phone to obstruct the investigation and revealed further evidence of his guilt.

The successful prosecution of this case is the result of collaboration between agencies.

The District Attorney’s office is thanking Sergeant Mike Roberts of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew De Moura of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
This case was prosecuted by El Dorado County Deputy District Attorneys Miles Perry and Matt Gallagher.

The conviction of Yusuf for second-degree murder marks a significant precedent in the legal and enforcement response to the fentanyl epidemic. The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office said they remain committed to holding fentanyl distributors accountable and will continue to pursue legal measures aimed
at preventing further loss of life.

Judgement and Sentencing will occur on May 23rd at 1:30 p.m. in Department 1. Yusuf has waived his right to appeal his sentence.

In 2024, a 23-year-old Placer County man was convicted of murder for providing the fentanyl that killed a soon-to-be father. There have been other murder arrests and convictions of fentanyl distributors who sold fatal doses through out the United States.