After years of legal battles over her son’s death, Grosse Pointe mother Linda Thom is taking her fight to the federal level.
Thom says she is now seeking help from federal prosecutors after state authorities declined to bring criminal charges in the 2019 death of her son, Denis Preka. Preka collapsed after allegedly being given a pill he thought was Adderall while friends recorded his decline and posted the footage on Snapchat. A civil jury later awarded his estate $75 million, but no one has been held criminally responsible.
Thom told The Detroit News she is asking the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the DEA to reopen or pursue investigations that state prosecutors said they could not bring. She said her family plans to keep pushing for federal action despite repeated setbacks in Michigan courts.
Civil Verdict Hinged On Snapchat Video
In August 2024, a Wayne County jury awarded Preka’s estate $75 million after finding two men civilly liable and viewing a video of his collapse that had been posted to Snapchat, according to CBS News Detroit. The verdict highlighted how social-media footage can become a powerful piece of evidence in a civil courtroom even when criminal charges prove far tougher to secure.
Why Criminal Charges Stalled
State prosecutors ultimately declined to pursue new criminal charges. The Michigan Attorney General’s Office told investigators it could not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt after a judge excluded key Snapchat footage, Detroit Free Press reported. Oakland County prosecutors had previously dropped charges, saying the available evidence and the way the case had been handled earlier left them unable to meet the high criminal standard.
Appeals And Timing
The civil defendant has appealed. Court records show the Michigan Court of Appeals granted an extension in January 2026 for filing appellate briefs, which could delay final enforcement of the $75 million judgment, according to documents hosted by Justia. That procedural pause adds yet another layer of uncertainty for the family while they continue to seek criminal accountability.
Federal Options And Legal Limits
Thom says federal drug-distribution statutes that penalize sellers whose product causes death may offer a possible path to charges, and he has asked federal agencies to review the facts of the case. She says she has spoken with the FBI. The bureau, in a statement to the Detroit Free Press, responded with its standard line: “As a matter of longstanding policy, the FBI does not confirm or deny the existence of any investigation.”
What To Watch Next
Legal observers note that the Preka case underscores a familiar gap: social-media evidence can carry enormous weight in civil court while criminal prosecutions still must navigate strict evidentiary and procedural rules that can keep key material out. Local outlets have continued to follow that tension in coverage of the verdict and its aftermath, including FOX 2 Detroit.
For Thom and her family, the core question now is whether a federal review will bring the criminal reckoning that state prosecutors and state courts have so far not delivered.
