TAMPA, Fla. – Two Hillsborough County drug dealers are now facing first-degree murder charges following the death of their clients.
On August 11, 2020, detectives with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to an apartment on Windwood Oaks Drive in Tampa regarding a suspected double fatal overdose.
Two individuals, an adult female in her 40s and her boyfriend, an adult male in his 30s, were located deceased.
Reports from the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the cause of death for the female victim as fentanyl intoxication. The cause of death for the male victim was fentanyl/ethanol intoxication.
Detectives were able to identify the source of their drug supply, linking the individuals back to 50-year-old Jose Alberto Marti.
Undercover detectives attempted to purchase additional fentanyl from Marti using the deceased victim’s cellphone. Marti later responded to the residents to conduct the transaction along with a woman identified as 42-year-old Melissa Christine Hanna.
A trafficking amount of both fentanyl and crystal meth were located in their vehicle.
Marti was interviewed by detectives and admitted to selling the deceased male fentanyl on the night of the overdose. Marti told detectives that Hanna was his source of supply.
“The poison these individuals pedaled is what ultimately killed their two victims,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Their arrests should serve as an eye-opening reminder to anyone who thinks it’s OK to sell drugs in our communities. You will face severe consequences for your actions.”
Hanna admitted to providing Marti with the fentanyl and being present in the vehicle during the transaction with the deceased male victim.
On Monday, February 8, 2021, probable cause was established to arrest Marti and Hanna on two counts of First Degree Murder.