Man faces murder charge, suspected of selling fatal dose of fentanyl

A Metropolitan Police Department report said that a man charged with murder in connection with a fentanyl sale made the transaction just hours before his customer’s death.

Jason Lupo, 52, was found dead on his bathroom floor on Dec. 1, 2023, police said. The Clark County coroner’s office ruled that Lupo died from acute fentanyl toxicity, according to public information officer Stephanie Wheatley.

Dominic Ramirez, 23, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with Lupo’s death, records show. A person whose name was redacted in a police report called 911 and told police Lupo was “blue and not breathing.”

In a redacted police interview in the report, a person told officers Lupo had been in good health.

The report has information about counterfeit pills, saying, “there are many counterfeit tablets containing fentanyl that are almost identical to actual prescription medication.”

Because of redactions, it’s unclear whether the report suggests that the pills were counterfeit.

“This is still an active and ongoing criminal investigation,” Metro assistant general counsel Matthew Christian said in an email.

He said a person of interest has not been interviewed and revealing details could allow this person to conceal or destroy information or evade authorities.

“Dominic is who Jason would contact when Jason wanted to purchase narcotics,” the report said. “Jason purchased fentanyl from Dominic hours prior to his death.”

Defendants who give, sell, trade or otherwise make fentanyl available to someone who dies as a result of it “can and will be charged with murder,” Deputy District Attorney Dolapo Emmanuel said at a recent court hearing.

Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @estellelilym on X and @estelleatkinsonreports on Instagram.