A Tennessee woman has been indicted on a second-degree murder charge in connection with the 2021 fentanyl overdose death of her friend, according to authorities. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that Jerica Marie Hayes from Crossville, is accused of delivering the fentanyl that led to Samuel Mashburn's death. WSMV reported that Mashburn was discovered deceased in a home's driveway in September of the prior year.

After a 911 call drew Crossville police to the scene on Willow Street, they found the body of Mashburn, who was 35 at the time of death. An autopsy revealed the cause as "acute combined multiple drug intoxication," as cited by FOX 17 News. As the TBI conducted their investigation, Hayes was pinpointed as the person who allegedly provided him with the potent opioid. Found dead in the driveway, the connection between Mashburn's untimely passing and Hayes brought to bear weighty legal consequences that loom over Hayes still today, caught in the throes of the justice system.

The charges against Hayes include one count of second-degree murder and one count of delivery of fentanyl. She was indicted by a Cumberland County Grand Jury on August 5, with the WATE reporting that this action was served while Hayes was already detained at the Cumberland County Jail. Her bond has been set at a staggering $1 million.

Support for the case against Hayes has seen the involvement of multiple branches of law enforcement, including the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, Crossville PD, and the 13th Judicial District Attorney General’s office. The TBI stresses, however, that the allegations against Hayes remain accusations, and she maintains the presumption of innocence. "Hayes is presumed innocent until she is proven guilty," the TBI release reminds, as noted by WATE. Until proven in a court, these charges remain a semblance of justice in the quest to remediate the loss of Mashburn, entangled in a tragedy where drugs and death intersect.