Attorney General Todd Blanche has vowed to prosecute drug dealers for murder, framing fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills as "death pills" capable of killing with a single dose. His remarks came as authorities investigate the tragic death of actress Hayden Panettiere, whose passing at 36 was reportedly due to an oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl.
"When it comes to fentanyl, they're not fake pills. They're death pills," Blanche stated during a White House press briefing Tuesday. "They're pills that kill people. And there's a federal statute that allows us to go after it."
Blanche elaborated that when a dealer can be identified and it can be proven they sold a fatal dose of an illicit substance to a victim, the dealer can be charged with murder under federal law. "Assuming we can, we can prove who the dealer is to go after them and put them in prison for murder. And we do it in every district in this country," he added.
Panettiere, known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," died suddenly last month. Reports indicate her death was caused by a single pill, believed to be oxycodone, that contained fentanyl. She reportedly obtained the pill from a longtime drug dealer.
While Blanche did not comment on Panettiere's specific case, he emphasized the broad applicability of federal statutes in prosecuting such cases. "In the cases where we know who the dealer was, and we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person sold the death pill to the victim who then dies — that's a federal crime," he said. "And that's something that we will readily prosecute, as often as we can."