Couple arrested in connection to fatal fentanyl overdose at Denton hotel
DENTON – Law enforcement officials in Denton have arrested two people in connection to a fatal fentanyl overdose on Oct. 18.
Tabitha Balent, 38, and Raymond Hernandez, 37, now face felony charges in the death of Corey Alan Culver, 29.
Culver, who was from North Carolina, was found dead at a hotel in the 3700 block of S. I-35E.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office later ruled the 29-year-old's cause of death as combined cocaine and fentanyl toxicity.
"Fentanyl is a scourge in our community," said Denton County Sheriff Tracy Murphree. "We must hold those accountable who are killing our citizens. We are proud of our cooperative relationship with the Denton Police Department, and we will continue to work together to rid our community of this deadly drug."
Police said Balent called 911 to report that she found Culver's body in the bed when she woke up.
Detectives later found drug paraphernalia and two circular blue pills in the hotel room, which were believed to be counterfeit oxycodone M30 tablets containing fentanyl.
After getting a search warrant for Balent's phone,they found multiple text messages between her and Culver about Balent reportedly acquiring percs. Police said she delivered those pills to Culver the day he died.
Balent's text message also implicated Hernandez as the person who sold her the narcotics, police said.
The Denton County Sheriff's Office was simultaneously investigating Hernandez on a separate narcotics case and obtained three felony arrest warrants for three counts of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance.
An arrest warrant for murder for Balent was subsequently issued as well after police said he admitted supplying Balent with the pills.
On Dec. 13, police, the sheriff's office and U.S. marshals conducted a joint operation and arrested Balent and Hernandez at their shared home in the 3400 block of Ganzer Road West. Both suspects separately agreed to speak with detectives.
An arrest warrant for murder for Balent was subsequently issued as well after police said he admitted supplying Balent with the pills.
"The continued threat of fentanyl in our community is very real, and collectively, we must all come together to address the dangers that come with it," said Denton Police Chief Doug Shoemaker. "We must all remain vigilant in rooting out the sources of this drug before even more lives are taken from us."
Balent is currently in the Denton County Jail on a $100,000 bond. Hernandez is in the City of Denton Jail with bond set at $150,000 for the murder charge.
