Denton police say a December overdose death on West Hickory Street has led to murder charges against a Dallas couple, after detectives traced the fentanyl involved back to them.
The victim, 34-year-old Amber Morris, was found unresponsive at a home in the 2200 block of W. Hickory Street on Dec. 27, 2025, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said toxicology testing showed a lethal mix of fentanyl and other sedatives.
According to the City of Denton, detectives concluded that 29-year-old Taylor Lambert and 38-year-old Matthew “Hunter” Clark sold fentanyl to Morris the night before she died. Based on that evidence, a detective obtained a murder warrant for Lambert. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner listed Morris’ cause of death as “fentanyl bromazolam, diazepam toxicity.”
How The Case Unfolded
State troopers arrested Lambert on March 12 in Richardson. After interviewing her, Denton detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Clark, who was taken into custody the next day in Dallas, according to CBS Texas.
Lambert was booked into the Denton County Jail on a $250,000 bond. Clark’s bond had not yet been set at the time of the reports. Authorities say the two are a couple and that both face murder charges tied to Morris’ fatal overdose.
What The New Fentanyl Law Does
In 2023, the Texas Legislature amended the Penal Code so that manufacturing or delivering fentanyl that results in someone’s death can be prosecuted as murder. The change took effect on Sept. 1, 2023.
The update, passed as House Bill 6, also directs medical examiners to record fentanyl toxicity or poisoning on death certificates, according to the bill text on the Texas Legislature website. Prosecutors have used the statute to bump several overdose deaths up to murder cases, while defense attorneys have pushed back with questions about what exactly must be proved, and what the law requires about intent.
Denton’s Growing Fentanyl Murder Docket
Local officials and reporters say this latest case fits into a broader pattern. CBS Texas reported that Lambert and Clark are the eighth and ninth defendants in fentanyl-related murder cases in Denton since the law took effect.
Earlier coverage by The Dallas Morning News detailed prior fatal overdoses in which alleged sellers were charged, illustrating how prosecutors in the area have leaned on the new statute in response to the fentanyl crisis.
Resources And What Comes Next
The city’s news release also pointed residents toward local support and treatment resources, including Winning the Fight and Solutions of North Texas, along with guidance for anyone seeking help with substance use, per the City of Denton.
Denton investigators say they are continuing to review the case and are asking anyone with information related to the investigation to come forward.
