Couple charged with murder in connection with fentanyl overdose death

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (WAFB) – Two people have been charged with murder in connection with a fentanyl overdose death in Baton Rouge.

According to East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office arrest records, Joshua Addison, 39, and Amanda Mason, 43, were indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday, August 21, on charges of first-degree murder and possession with intent to resell.

Police said officers were called to a home on Woodwick Avenue on the morning of March 27, 2024, and found a 29-year-old man lying in the bathtub. Syringes and drug paraphernalia were also found in the bathroom, jail records show.

The East Baton Rouge Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that the victim tested positive for fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Data from the victim's cell phone showed that the man had bought the drugs about eight hours before his death. After further investigation, investigators identified Addison and Mason as suspects.

Mason admitted to authorities that she purchased the illegal drugs from Mason and then sold them to the victim at a store near the intersection of Coursey Boulevard and S. Sherwood Forest Blvd.

On April 29, 2024, law enforcement executed two search warrants at a hotel on Sherwood Forest Court. Addison and Mason were taken into custody without incident.

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