Relatives in Waycross say they are demanding answers after 33-year-old Taylor Purtee was found dead at her home on January 26, 2026. Loved ones say the loss was sudden and shocking, and several family members believe fentanyl exposure may have been involved. They are calling for a full and transparent investigation into how she died.
Family Speaks Out As Police Probe Death
Family members have gone public with their concerns and say the Waycross Police Department has opened an investigation into Purtee’s death. According to First Coast News, relatives told reporters they suspect fentanyl may have played a role and urged anyone who knows anything to contact investigators.
They also say they are frustrated with what they describe as a slow trickle of official information. The family is pressing for toxicology results to be released and shared openly with the community.
Obituary Confirms Age And Date Of Death
An obituary from Low Country Cremation & Burial, published on Legacy.com, lists Taylor Rachelle Purtee Putt as 33 years old and states that she died at her residence on January 26. The notice, posted by family members, has circulated locally as friends and neighbors learn of her death.
Family’s Grief Tied To Georgia’s Fentanyl Surge
The concerns voiced by Purtee’s relatives line up with a troubling statewide pattern. The Georgia Department of Public Health reports that fentanyl-involved overdose deaths rose 308% from 2019 to 2022. Officials warn that fentanyl is frequently mixed into other street drugs and that even tiny amounts can be deadly.
The agency advises anyone facing a suspected overdose to contact the Georgia Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. For families like Purtee’s, statistics about fentanyl are not abstract, they are part of a painful search for answers.
Next Steps In The Case
Waycross police have confirmed that an investigation is underway, and relatives say they will continue to push for clarity and for any toxicology findings to be made public, according to First Coast News. Anyone with information about Purtee’s death is urged to contact the Waycross Police Department.
