Nov. 29-A Kokomo woman is now under arrest after police say she dealt a man heroin laced with fentanyl.
Courtnay Titus, 37, is facing one count of dealing a controlled substance causing death, a Level 1 felony, for her alleged role in the death of 40-year-old Kokomo resident Marshall Banter, whose body was located by police at a southside apartment complex Sept. 29, 2022, according to court records.
An autopsy revealed that Banter's death was ruled an overdose due to fentanyl toxicity, per a probable cause affidavit filed through the Howard County Clerk's Office.
During the investigation into Banter's death, investigators conducted a search of Banter's cell phone, court records indicated, which revealed a text conversation between the victim and another man in which the purchase of heroin was reportedly discussed.
Authorities ended up interviewing that man that was in contact with Banter, according to court records, and he reportedly told investigators that he was the "go between for the heroin that he and Banter purchased."
The supplier, per his police interview, was allegedly Titus, also referred to as "Nay," court records noted.
And during a consented search of that man's cell phone, investigators allegedly found several text conversations indicating the heroin purchases made by Banter using the heroin that Titus provided.
As part of the investigation, the man reportedly also allowed police to text Titus - while posing as him - and ask to meet up to purchase a half gram of heroin.
That encounter reportedly occurred in the parking lot of a local motel, per court records, and police say Titus had in her possession at that time a powder-like substance that field tested positive for heroin.
A subsequent search of a room that allegedly belonged to Titus also revealed more suspected heroin, several drug-cutting agents, scales and packaging material, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Police interviewed Titus at the scene, court documents noted, and the woman reportedly told investigators that she did sell heroin to who was later identified as Banter, though she did state that "she gets her heroin from Indianapolis and then is very careful when she cuts it to make sure no one will overdose from it."
Titus is being held at the Howard County Jail on $60,000 cash bond, with no 10%, and she has a pretrial conference slated for 8:30 a.m. Feb. 9 in Howard Superior Court 4.
