Montevideo woman charged with supplying fentanyl that caused woman’s death

A Montevideo woman, Deja Denise Padilla, age 19, is in the custody of the Renville County Sheriff’s Office following a warrant arrest for Murder in the Third Degree. The charge results from the death of a victim identified by the Renville County Attorney’s Office as “A.L.” on Nov. 13, 2021. Padilla is charged with supplying A.L. with the fentanyl that caused her death.

According to the Renville County Attorney’s Office, law enforcement received a 911 call from a caller, later identified as Padilla, as she left A.L.’s residence, informing the operator a female was overdosing. Law enforcement responded, but were told by the owner of the residence that no one was overdosing, so law enforcement cleared the scene. Less than an hour later, 911 was contacted after another person discovered A.L. unconscious.

Law enforcement’s investigation revealed  Padilla had communicated with A.L. and other people regarding the sale of controlled substances in the days leading up to A.L.’s death. Law enforcement also learned another individual whom Padilla had sold controlled substances to in another town had also overdosed, but was successfully revived.

The medical examiner issued a final report on the death of A.L. listing the toxic effects of methamphetamine and fentanyl as the cause. According to the toxicology report, fentanyl is a DEA Schedule II synthetic morphine substitute that is reportedly 80 to 200 times as potent as morphine and is fast acting.