Months long investigation marks first time a single drug dealer has been charged in two separate fentanyl homicide cases.
A months-long investigation by the Folsom Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) recently led to the arrest of a suspected drug dealer now charged in two separate fentanyl-related homicides, according to details released by the department Tuesday afternoon.
The case began on Dec. 13, 2024, when Folsom police officers and fire personnel responded to a suspected fentanyl overdose on Natoma Street just before 2 p.m. Despite emergency efforts, a 19-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives from the SIU launched an immediate investigation, working to track down the individual responsible for supplying the lethal dose. Their efforts led them to 21-year-old Keon Taylor of Sacramento, a suspected drug dealer with a troubling history, according to the department.
Further investigation revealed that Taylor was also connected to a separate fentanyl-related overdose death in Elk Grove in 2021, which claimed the life of a 17-year-old. With new evidence provided by Folsom SIU detectives, Elk Grove police reopened the case and has also filed homicide charges against Taylor.
On Jan. 8, 2025, Taylor was arrested and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail, where he remains without bail. Following a report from the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office released Tuesday morning, Folsom SIU detectives secured an additional murder charge against Taylor for the death of the 19-year-old Folsom victim—marking the first time a single drug dealer has been charged in two separate fentanyl homicide cases.
This case marks the fifth instance since 2023 in which Folsom SIU detectives have successfully pursued homicide charges against suspected drug dealers. Authorities emphasize their commitment to holding drug suppliers accountable as fentanyl continues to pose a lethal threat to the community.