Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma announced three suspects have been charged with First Degree Murder by Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance for their involvement in the poisoning death of 27-year-old Tristan Buttrum, of Apopka. Two of the suspects are from Central Florida, Kissimmee and St. Cloud, and one is from Los Angeles, California.
The investigation began on January 2, 2023, when deputies responded to Anna Drive in unincorporated Apopka after a roommate discovered Tristan deceased in his bedroom. On the nightstand next to the bed was a counterfeit Percocet pill pressed with fentanyl. Agents with the local Fatal S.C.O.R.E. (Seminole Collaborative Opioid Response Efforts) Response Team responded and immediately began probing to determine the source of the fentanyl-pressed pills.
“The majority of jurisdictions across this country, quite frankly, are still calling these accidental overdoses,” Sheriff Dennis Lemma stated in regards to the investigation and arrest. “Granted, you can overdose on a substance that is legal or illegal. But what we’re dealing with here is different because people are taking a substance that has been unknowingly poisoned to the level of lethal doses, and that’s exactly why this is a murder case.”
The investigation revealed a web of drug-related crimes that spanned multiple states and involved several individuals. In October, the three drug dealers were indicted by an 18th Judicial Circuit grand jury. On November 7th, the following three suspects were arrested and charged with First Degree Murder by Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance:
- Bradley Hunter, of Kissimmee, incarcerated in the Osceola County Jail
- V.D., of St. Cloud, incarcerated in the Osceola County Jail
- Andres Spancky Raya, of Los Angeles, California, incarcerated in the Los Angeles County Jail
It was determined Hunter and V.D. routinely traveled to California to purchase illegal drugs from Raya and would ship them back to the Central Florida area. Agents learned of one purchase of 40,000 pressed fentanyl pills purchased from Raya in mid-December 2022 alone.
Here are the pills, items and cash found in Hunter’s apartment during the investigation:
All three suspects will eventually be brought to Seminole County and booked into the John E. Polk Correctional Facility, according to law enforcement.
The Office of the State Attorney, 18th Judicial Circuit, will prosecute this case.
