McKeiver Found Guilty of Murder for Woman’s Overdose Death

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that a Duval County jury found Reginald McKeiver guilty of Murder by Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Sale, Manufacture, or Deliver a Controlled Substance. With the verdict, McKeiver faces up to life in Florida State Prison. The Honorable Anthony Salem will sentence McKeiver at a later date.

On Dec. 4, 2022, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to an overdose death at a St. Johns Bluff hotel. The victim — a 49-year-old mother — was living at the hotel with her teenage daughter. She came back from work at night on Dec. 3 and went to bed. Her daughter tried to wake her up in the morning but wasn’t able. She called her father, who then called 911. Rescuers arrived to find the victim dead from an overdose. During the investigation, detectives found text messages between the victim and a drug dealer labeled “P” and “Phil” in the victim and a witness’s phones. Through several controlled purchases of drugs and witness interviews, the identity of the dealer was confirmed to be McKeiver. On Jan. 23, 2023, the autopsy results showed the victim died from para-Fluorofentanyl overdose mixed with xylazine — a drug used as an animal tranquilizer. The drugs purchased from McKeiver were tested and also came back as a mix of para-Fluorofentanyl and xylazine, a unique drug combination. On Jan. 29, 2023, officers arrested McKeiver for the victim’s murder and the sale of narcotics.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Joe Licandro and Carleshia Jimerson.