A woman who investigators say sold a man dangerous narcotics that led to his death is now facing manslaughter charges, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Shalonda Golden of Lake Worth is accused of providing Travis Tekel with heroin and carfentanil after he fatally overdosed.
PBSO responded to Tekel’s apartment in the 5100 block of Las Verdes Circle near Delray Beach on June 1, 2017 when his roommate called 911 saying he believed Tekel was overdosing on heroin, according to an arrest report.
Tekel reportedly told a witness the night of his overdose that he paid Golden’s electricity bill using a fraudulent credit card in exchange for heroin and cash. Tekel also allegedly told the witness he purchased narcotic capsules from Golden a week earlier.
Golden sent a series of text messages to Tekel’s roommate asking about him the day after his overdose.
“I hope ain’t nothing happen to him,” Golden wrote in the text. “He aint take too much of it did he?”
Golden admitted giving Tekel heroin and Xanax within hours of his overdose.
The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office determined Tekel’s cause of death to be carfentanil toxicity.
Investigators say surveillance video shows Golden’s car was in the parking lot of Tekel’s complex the night of the OD.
Investigators say Golden’s boyfriend introduced her to several people who were looking to purchase illegal narcotics, including Tekel. Since her boyfriend was incarcerated in March 2017, court records show people began purchasing drugs from Golden.
Inmate recordings of visits Golden made to her boyfriend while in jail capture them talking about Tekel, the report states.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested Golden on Jan. 4. She is also facing several fraud charges in connection with illegal credit card use.
She appeared before a Palm Beach County judge Friday morning who set her bond at more than $100,000.
The judge ordered Golden to not have contact with any members of Tekel’s family or the victim of the credit card fraud.
If Golden is able to post bond, she must prove the money did not come from illegal funds.