A drug-related death investigation in Angelina County has led to murder charges against three Lufkin-area men following the overdose death of an 18-year-old woman.
On Friday, February 13, Angelina County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a possible seizure or overdose at a residence on Benton Drive, just outside Lufkin. When deputies arrived, they found Sierra Grace Duckworth, 18, unconscious. She was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased.
During the investigation, Duckworth’s boyfriend, 21-year-old Coy Allen Cook of Lufkin, told deputies that he and Duckworth had taken blue fentanyl pills about two hours earlier. Investigators learned that Cook and 19-year-old Logan Wayne Ferguson had gone to the Hudson residence of 25-year-old Roderick “Squirrel” Johnson to purchase the pills.
Detectives recovered text messages from Duckworth’s phone showing arrangements for the drug purchase, including Johnson sending his address for pickup. Ferguson told investigators that he and Cook went to Johnson’s home, bought the pills, and later returned to the Benton Drive residence. After ingesting the pills, Duckworth became unconscious. Ferguson said he was present when she overdosed but left before law enforcement arrived.
Deputies consulted with Angelina County District Attorney Amy Wren, and her office assisted in obtaining arrest and search warrants once probable cause was established.
Later that evening, a search warrant was executed at Johnson’s residence in Hudson. Officers with the Lufkin Police Department Street Crimes Unit and sheriff’s deputies arrested Johnson at the scene. Suspected fentanyl, marijuana, a large amount of cash, and other evidence were seized.
Cook, Ferguson, and Johnson are each facing murder charges under Texas law, which allows a murder charge when a person dies as a result of the delivery of a controlled substance that is injected, ingested, inhaled, or otherwise introduced into the body.
Authorities said additional charges could be filed because Duckworth was pregnant at the time of her death.
Sheriff Tom Selman warned of the dangers of fentanyl, noting that even small amounts can be deadly. He also asked the community to keep Duckworth’s family and friends in their prayers as the case moves forward.
