02-04-2025
Richland PD: Man arrested in deadly Thanksgiving 2023 overdose
RICHLAND, Mich. (WOOD) — The Richland Police Department says a suspect is facing charges in the Thanksgiving 2023 overdose death of a 32-year-old man.
Ethan Brockway died of an apparent overdose on Nov. 23, 2023, according to the Richland Police Department.
'From an early age, Thanksgiving was Ethan's favorite holiday, with lots of food, family, and Lions football,' his father, Tom Brockway, said in a statement provided to the police department. 'For us, it's a day we will always remember as the day our son, Ethan, died!'
Police said they investigated for months, 'never ceasing in the pursuit of Justice.' Investigators identified a suspect, a 31-year-old man from Kalamazoo who was found to be in possession of fentanyl, according to a release from the police department.
Charges related to the delivery of fentanyl causing death were authorized Friday, police said, and the suspect was taken into custody Monday. Police did not immediately release his name.
Tom Brockway said his son 'died from a person who decided selling poison to make a few dollars was worth the risk of taking someone's life.'
'It is a challenge to put one foot in front of the other and try to make it through each day,' his statement continued. '… To take a person off the street to prevent the pain it can cause families and friends is a step forward in this hellacious epidemic.'
The police department offered its condolences to the family and emphasized its commitment to protecting the community.
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