LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Nearly seven months after the deadly fentanyl overdose of a woman, a Lee County man is charged with her murder.
An indictment by the State Attorney's Office is charging 30-year-old Joshua Pulley with first-degree murder for allegedly distributing fentanyl to the victim. The overdose happened on Dec. 29, 2022.
In a press release by the State Attorney's Office, they say Pulley and the woman met in a restaurant parking lot. On camera, they're caught exchanging something.
The woman went home and was found unresponsive by a roommate. Despite first responders trying to revive her, she died. The Medical Examiner found she died of a fentanyl overdose.
"If you sell this poison and somebody dies, you are facing a first-degree capital murder charge," said State Attorney Amira Fox.
Criminal defense attorney Spencer Cordell, not involved in this case, says generally first-degree murder cases are complex and take a long time. He sees a challenge for both prosecutors and the defense in this case.
"There’s a concern that a jury might see the victim as less sympathetic because they were willingly involved in doing drugs, buying drugs, breaking the law in that kind of way," he explained. "The jury is going to want to find somebody responsible, especially with all the media coverage of the dangers of fentanyl."
As Fox announced the indictment and his arrest, Pulley was in a Lee County courtroom facing a judge for the murder charge, along with other drug charges.
As Fox 4 entered the courtroom, Pulley's appearance was nearly over. However, he was caught saying through a video call from jail, "This is my life, man."
Pulley was booked into the Lee County Jail on Thursday night after Fort Myers Police and the US Marshals arrested him at his Fort Myers home near the Forum.
Inside the home, Fox said they found drugs and guns, so they will likely add more criminal charges to the case.
"Illegal drugs are a deadly, deadly cycle," Fox said.
Fentanyl has seen staggering numbers since 2016. Overdoses have tripled since then. In 2021, Florida had the second most drug overdose deaths in the country. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, two-thirds of them involved illicit fentanyl.
Pulley is being held with no bond. With the first-degree murder charge, he faces a minimum of life in prison. However, prosecutors do have the option of seeking the death penalty. He is no stranger to law enforcement. According to arrest records, Pulley has been arrested 15 times since 2010.
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