MARATHON, Fla. – The Monroe County Sheriff says his department is working to pursue murder charges against drug dealers connected with overdose deaths. In roughly a year, the department has charged three people in three separate cases, and are currently seeking a second suspect in one case.
In February, authorities extradited a South Carolina man back to the Florida Keys to face charges in a 2022 Marathon overdose death.
Ronald Meyers III, 39, a former Marathon resident, faces charges of murder and the use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony in the death of a 42-year-old man. Deputies say Jeremiah Judson Johnson sold cocaine on Meyers’ behalf and is still at large.
Most recently, a 23-year-old woman was facing a murder charge after detectives accused her of selling the fentanyl that caused a 53-year-old woman’s death.
Deputies held Alexis Joy Sather, of Marathon, without bond for the murder of Amanda Roberts, who deputies found dead on Sept. 2 at her home in Grassy Key.
“I’ve taken a hard-line stance with my team that if we can do anything to arrest, prosecute someone for selling drugs that’s killed somebody then we’re going to charge them with a second-degree murder charge,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay.