December 24, 2024 - Tuolumne County District Attorney Cassandra Jenecke announced on Monday that on December 23, 2024, the Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office filed charges of murder against Stacey Christ. Richard Bennett II was found deceased on the morning of October 10, 2024, and his death was deemed to be from acute fentanyl poisoning. After an over 10-week investigation conducted by Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Team (TNT), it is alleged that Ms. Christ provided the fentanyl to Mr. Bennett that caused his death despite Ms. Christ knowing of the inherent dangers of fentanyl.  

Ms. Christ was also present in Tuolumne County Superior Court on December 23, 2024 for an arraignment on the Information in another matter, CRF76015, where she is charged with possession of fentanyl for sale and transporting fentanyl for sale from a non-contiguous county. That case arises out of an arrest from November 7, 2024.

Proposition 36, also known as Alexandria’s Law, codifies an advisement regarding the dangers of fentanyl that is given to those that are convicted of furnishing and selling drugs, including that if you provide fentanyl laced drugs and someone dies as a result, you can be charged with murder. Proposition 36 was passed in November of 2024; however, the District Attorney’s Office has been giving these advisements for over a year. Fentanyl continues to be a pressing public safety issue with fentanyl related overdoses plaguing our community. The District Attorney’s Office, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to investigating and prosecuting these types of crimes.

 If you have any information regarding the death of Mr. Bennett or drug sales in our community, please contact the TNT tip line at (209) 533-5884.  
Source: Tuolumne County District Attorney's Office