The Brevard County Grand Jury has indicted two men for murder for selling fentanyl to people who overdosed and died after using the drugs.

In separate cases, the Grand Jury indicted CHARLES R. MARINER, 38, and JOHN M. GARCIA, 23, for:

• First-degree felony murder – unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, a capital felony punishable by life in prison or the death penalty
• Sale or delivery of fentanyl

Both men were investigated by Palm Bay Police and arrested following their indictments.

MARINER became a suspect in January following the overdose death of Ryan White, 35, in northwest Palm Bay.  A police report says White was found slumped over on the floor of his bedroom between his bed and his wheelchair. On his bed was a small plastic bag with a tan powdery substance that tested positive for fentanyl.

Police determined MARINER delivered and sold the drugs to White after examining text messages between the two, home-security video, and CashApp payments. 

GARCIA became a suspect in May following the overdose death of Alexandre Cota De Magalhaes, 52, who was found by roommates in a bedroom he rented in southeast Palm Bay. They also found a rolled-up $100 bill along with a white powdery substance in the victim’s bathroom.

Palm Bay Police discovered text messages on the dead man’s phone that showed he had arranged to buy the drugs from GARCIA.