Minneapolis man charged with murder in 2021 fentanyl-related death

A Minneapolis man has been charged with murder in connection to a fentanyl-related death in Coon Rapids last year.

Brett Dwayne Dzubey-Percy, 37, was charged via warrant Thursday with third-degree murder.

Anoka County deputies responded to a possible overdose on 107th Lane Northwest on July 1, 2021. Life-saving efforts were attempted but the man was pronounced dead.

The victim’s mother told authorities that she’d last seen him a little over two hours earlier, adding that he’d just finished intensive detox and rehab treatment in Detroit about two months ago before returning to live with her and his father, a criminal complaint states.

After an autopsy was performed on the victim, the medical examiner ruled his death as “effects of fentanyl.”

A phone found in the man’s bedroom showed a text message chain with a number that came back as Dzubey-Percy’s number, which Dzubey-Percy’s mother later confirmed to police.

The complaint states the victim’s phone showed a message with slang for “need heroin” on June 29, 2021. Other messages sent the next day appeared to indicate a price and meeting place, and a 33-second phone call later followed.

While Dzubey-Percy denied meeting anyone at the agreed-upon place that day and denied knowing the victim, his phone location showed he was there, the complaint states. Additionally, DNA testing on a baggie found in the victim’s room found a strong indication that it originated from Dzubey-Percy, the victim and another unknown person.

When tested, the baggie also came back as positive for .739 grams of fentanyl.

Dzubey-Percy wasn’t in custody as of Thursday.