The State Attorney’s Office has secured indictments of two men for murder for selling fentanyl to people who overdosed and died after using the drugs.

In separate cases, the Brevard County Grand Jury indicted ERWIN l. CORDERO-AROCHO of Palm Bay and DARION F. PEREZ of Cocoa 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

Cordero-Arocho, 28, became a suspect following the overdose death of Robert Whalen, 37, in northwest Palm Bay.  A police report says Whalen’s father found him dead on the floor in his bedroom near where investigators discovered traces of drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Palm Bay Police investigators used text messages, phone records and surveillance video to determine that Cordero-Arocho had sold the dead man drugs shortly before he died from fentanyl toxicity.

Meanwhile, Perez, 30, became a suspect following the overdose death of Wade A. Drummond at a hotel on King Street in Cocoa.  A police report says Drummond, 30, and his girlfriend had used fentanyl there the night before, and she awoke in the morning to find him deceased from fentanyl poisoning.

Cocoa Police determined Perez delivered and sold the drugs to the girlfriend based on her statements and surveillance video from the hotel. They later set up a controlled drug deal in which Perez sold more fentanyl to her.

Perez and Cardero-Arocho’s indictments bring to five the number of defendants charged this year for fentanyl-related murders in the 18th Judicial Circuit.

May 14: Alleged drug dealer indicted for murder in Seminole County overdose death

April 17:  Two indicted for murder in Palm Bay fentanyl-overdose deaths