A 49-year-old Grand Rapids man has been charged with giving his wife a lethal dose of the painkilling drug Fentanyl.
Terry Wayne Richards was charged with third degree murder for buying the drug and giving it to his wife at their home on Friday, according to the office of Itasca County Attorney John Muhar.
Police were called to a medical emergency at the couple’s home at 9:48 p.m. Friday, and arrived to find a woman with no pulse. She was transported to Grande Itasca Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
According to the criminal complaint, Richards told police that he purchased a 100 milligram Fentanyl patch for $150 and that he recovered the drug from the patch and that he and his wife then injected the drug. He said he left the house for five minutes and returned to find her unresponsive in a chair.
Richards appeared Monday in the Itasca County Courthouse in Grand Rapids. He is being held without bail on the murder charge, and on a probation violation.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to the complaint “Richards stated that his wife had overdosed before and that he has been able to bring her back by throwing water on her.” He said that method did not work on Friday night.
Fentanyl, also known by several brand names, is a strong synthetic opioid often used to treat excessive pain, and before medical procedures. Health officials have said Fentanyl is 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine and many times more potent than heroin.
Richards next court appearance has been set for Oct. 6.
