Seminole County, Florida (November 9, 2023) - In a significant development in a high-profile case, Sheriff Dennis Lemma of Seminole County revealed in a press conference today the indictment of three individuals in connection to the tragic death of 27-year-old Tristan Buttrum from Apopka. The suspects are charged with First Degree Murder by Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance, following an intensive investigation that spanned several states.
The case unfolded on January 2, 2023, when deputies were called to a residence on Anna Drive in Apopka, where Buttrum was found dead by his roommate. The discovery of a counterfeit Percocet pill laced with fentanyl on his nightstand was a critical lead. This prompted an immediate response from the Fatal S.C.O.R.E. (Seminole Collaborative Opioid Response Efforts) Team, setting the stage for a complex probe into the source of these lethal pills.
A tangled web of drug-related activities emerged, leading to the indictment of Bradley Hunter (D.O.B. 07/25/97) of Kissimmee, Vincete Diaz (D.O.B. 12/16/2000) of St. Cloud, and Andres Spancky Raya (D.O.B. 11/05/95) of Los Angeles, California, by an 18th Judicial Circuit grand jury in October. Investigations revealed that Hunter and Diaz frequently traveled to California to procure illegal drugs, including a staggering purchase of 40,000 fentanyl-laced pills from Raya in mid-December 2022.
Currently, all three suspects are incarcerated - Hunter and Diaz in Osceola County Jail, and Raya in Los Angeles County Jail. They are slated to be transferred to Seminole County, where they will face charges at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility.
Sheriff Lemma, in his statement, highlighted the gravity of this case: "Across most jurisdictions, these are still viewed as accidental overdoses. However, this situation is different. People are unknowingly consuming substances laced with lethal doses. That's what makes this a murder case."
The case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney, 18th Judicial Circuit.