Larizza announces two St Johns County "drug-induced murder" indictments

Historic City News was called to a press conference this afternoon by State Attorney for the Seventh Judicial Circuit, RJ Larizza, who announced that two Jacksonville men have been indicted and are being held without bond, charged with first-degree murder by unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

Under the provisions of a new state law that allows law enforcement to charge a drug dealer with murder for causing the death of a customer, 42-year-old Reco Bennefield and 36-year-old Brian Pitt were indicted Wednesday in connection with two fentanyl overdose deaths in St. Johns County.

“The evidence shows that Bennefield was the supplier and distributor of the drugs and Pitt was one of the people who helped him sell the fentanyl to two local men who died from overdoses in 2017 and 2019,” Larizza said.

Larizza said that there has been an increase in the number of drug-induced murder charges brought against suspected drug dealers in recent years in response to the opioid epidemic. He said his office is prosecuting at least 10 people accused of similar crimes in neighboring counties.  The Seventh Circuit covers Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.

“We hope that these charges will send a message to folks that the consequences of selling drugs that result in an overdose are certainly much more severe than any reward they might consider,” Larizza said during this afternoon’s press conference.