Tuesday, 28 July 2026, 12:13
In a landmark case for Ventura County, Charity Faith Wiley has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for selling a lethal dose of fentanyl and xylazine to a Simi Valley man, marking the county's first murder conviction tied to a fentanyl overdose. The Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced the plea on July 8, 2026, emphasizing the case's significance in the fight against synthetic opioid deaths. Wiley entered her plea on July 6, 2026, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.
On June 6, 2024, investigators from the Ventura County Fentanyl and Overdose Crimes Units (VC FOCUS) responded to an apparent overdose at a home in unincorporated Simi Valley. They found drugs and paraphernalia in the victim's room, and toxicology tests later confirmed a lethal combination of fentanyl—a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine—and xylazine, an animal tranquilizer. The victim's identity has not been publicly released.
Through meticulous investigative work, VC FOCUS and the Simi Valley Police Department traced the drug supply chain back to Wiley, leading to her arrest at her Reseda home on March 5, 2025. She has remained in custody without bail since then.
In addition to the murder charge, Wiley pleaded guilty to five other felonies: possession of narcotics for sale, sale of narcotics, possession of a firearm by a felon, money laundering, and possession of ammunition. She also admitted to aggravating factors, including a high degree of planning and sophistication in her criminal activities.
This case is particularly significant for Ventura County and Simi Valley, where the overdose occurred. The Ventura County District Attorney's Office has been proactive in combating fentanyl-related deaths, with the VC FOCUS task force playing a central role. In 2025, the Ventura County Medical Examiner confirmed 216 overdose deaths countywide, with fentanyl or a mixture of fentanyl and other drugs present in 134 of those cases—over 62%.
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko stated, "Today's guilty plea sends a clear message that fentanyl dealers will be held accountable for the lives they destroy. This is the first murder conviction in Ventura County stemming from a fentanyl overdose, and it reflects our commitment to pursuing every appropriate legal avenue against those who knowingly distribute this deadly drug."
Senior Deputy District Attorney Audry Nafziger added, "Fatal overdose investigations are complex and require careful coordination between law enforcement, forensic experts, and prosecutors. Through the outstanding work of VC FOCUS, and the Simi Valley Police Department narcotics bureau we were able to trace the deadly drugs back to the defendant, build a strong case, and secure this historic guilty plea for second-degree murder. The guilty plea today brings a meaningful measure of justice to the family of the victim."
Deputy District Attorney Devin Mirchi of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Major Crimes Narcotics Unit also prosecuted the case.
Fentanyl has become the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States, according to the CDC. In California, synthetic opioids have fueled a public health crisis, with counties like Ventura seeing rising death tolls. Xylazine, often mixed with fentanyl, complicates treatment as it is not reversed by naloxone. This case represents a shift in prosecutorial strategy, using murder charges to target dealers rather than just drug offenses.
Wiley is scheduled to be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. on September 1, 2026, in Courtroom 14 of Ventura County Superior Court, and faces up to 15 years to life in state prison. The case underscores the deadly risks of fentanyl and the legal consequences for those who distribute it. Local officials urge the public to access resources like Naloxone kits and addiction support through ThinkAgainVC.com. For now, the victim's family has received a measure of justice through this historic plea.
