NorCal fentanyl dealer ‘Mr. Sneeze' pleads guilty to murder
(KRON) — A Northern California fentanyl dealer pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the overdose death of 20-year-old Gillian Murray.
On May 6, 2022, Kamal Babatunde Yusuf sold counterfeit blue M30 oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to Murray and her boyfriend in Folsom. Murray and her boyfriend went home and consumed one pill each. Murray's boyfriend woke up and found her unresponsive, not breathing, and called 911. When first responders arrived on scene, she was pronounced dead. Toxicology results revealed she died from acute fentanyl poisoning.
Following Murray's death, the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office began investigating.
Detectives discovered Yusuf conducted sales through Snapchat under the alias 'Mr. Sneeze.' He instructed buyers to 'start with a half' to avoid overdose, demonstrating knowledge of its lethal nature, prosecutors said.
A search warrant executed at Yusuf's residence resulted in the seizure of thousands ofcounterfeit fentanyl-laced M30 pills. While in custody, Yusuf was recorded in jailhouse calls instructing his brother and an associate to erase data from his phone to obstruct the investigation, prosecutors said.
New details emerge after Santa Rosa students die from drug overdoses
Yusuf had personally overdosed on fentanyl prior to Murray's death, proving he was aware ofits risk, according to investigators. 'Despite this knowledge, Yusuf continued to distribute fentanyl-laced substances with full awareness of their potential consequences,' El Dorado County District Attorney's Office wrote.
'This conviction establishes clear accountability for fentanyl dealers whose actions result in death. This prosecution reflects the gravity of the fentanyl crisis and the legal consequences that will follow,' District Attorney Vern Pierson said.
Yusuf will be sentenced on May 23. He faces a prison sentence of 15 years to life.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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