Dallas fentanyl overdose leads to first murder conviction, 20-year prison sentence

By
FOX 4
Published June 12, 2026 2:42 PM CDT

Destin Scott

The Brief

    • Destin Scott, 31, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, marking the first fentanyl-related murder conviction in Dallas County under a 2023 Texas law.
    • Investigators used cellphone and social media records to prove Scott sold the lethal mix of ecstasy and fentanyl that caused a woman's fatal overdose.
    • Under the state statute, prosecutors can now charge drug distributors with murder if they knowingly deliver lethal doses of fentanyl resulting in a "poisoning" death.

DALLAS - The first person to be convicted of murder in Dallas County under the state’s new fentanyl law was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

What's new:

Earlier this week, 31-year-old Destin Scott pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

His conviction marks the first in Dallas County under Texas’ fentanyl murder statute enacted in 2023.

The backstory:

Police accused Scott of killing a woman who was found dead inside her vehicle outside a fast food restaurant in Dallas.

Although there were no signs of foul play, the autopsy report determined she died because of an overdose of ecstasy and fentanyl.

Investigators found a bag of pills and two cellphones in her vehicle. They used cellphone records, social media communications, and other evidence to determine that she purchased the drugs from Scott.

Dig deeper:

Under the new state law, fentanyl-related overdose deaths are classified as "poisonings." Those who distribute the fentanyl can be charged with murder if they:

  • knowingly distributed fentanyl to the victim
  • acted with knowledge of the drug being fentanyl and disregarded its lethal risk
  • and the distribution directly caused the victim’s death

The Source: The information in this story comes from a news release from the Dallas County District Attorney's Office.

Dallas CountyCrime and Public Safety