Kansas City Man Charged With Murder After Two Restaurant Workers Die From Fentanyl Overdoses
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A 32-year-old Kansas City man has been charged with murder and multiple drug-related crimes after two restaurant employees died from fentanyl overdoses, prosecutors announced this week.
According to Jackson County prosecutors, Angel Esparza faces charges of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and delivery of a controlled substance in connection with the October 2023 deaths of two men who worked together at a local Wingstop restaurant.
Two Workers Found Dead Days Apart
The investigation began on October 22, 2023, when Lee’s Summit police discovered the first victim inside his apartment. Officers said the man was found in his bedroom surrounded by drug paraphernalia, including syringes and baggies that were collected as evidence.
An autopsy report released on November 8, 2024, determined the cause of death to be fentanyl and acetylfentanyl intoxication — a potent synthetic opioid mixture responsible for a growing number of overdose deaths across Missouri.
Two days later, on October 24, 2023, Belton police discovered a second victim in a basement bedroom at another home. Officers again found multiple items of drug paraphernalia, including a plastic bag containing suspected fentanyl.
Investigators later determined both men worked together at the same Wingstop location and likely obtained the drugs from the same supplier — identified as Angel Esparza.
Digital Evidence Links Dealer to Victims
Court documents revealed that one of the victims texted his manager shortly before his death, referencing the powerful effects of fentanyl.
Another relative told detectives they used a location-tracking app to monitor the victim’s movements, showing he returned home from work just before 1 a.m. and sent a final message hours later asking to be woken up for his shift.
Detectives traced communications between Esparza and the victims, confirming he had sold them the fentanyl shortly before both overdoses occurred.
Suspect Caught in Kansas and Lies to Investigators
Authorities interviewed Esparza in September 2024 while he was being held at the Franklin County Detention Center in Ottawa, Kansas, on unrelated charges.
When questioned, Esparza lied to detectives, claiming he was already in jail on October 21, 2023 — the same night prosecutors allege he sold the fentanyl to at least one of the victims.
“The evidence clearly contradicts the defendant’s claims,” said a Jackson County Drug Task Force detective. “He was free at the time of both deaths and directly responsible for distributing the drugs that killed these men.”
Fentanyl Crisis in Kansas City
Authorities say this case underscores the ongoing fentanyl epidemic plaguing the region. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that fentanyl is now the leading cause of overdose deaths nationwide, with even a few milligrams proving fatal.
Kansas City officials have seen a steady rise in fatal overdoses linked to synthetic opioids, prompting law enforcement agencies to pursue murder and manslaughter charges against dealers connected to deadly incidents.
Community Urged to Report Drug Activity
Authorities are asking residents to report drug trafficking or overdose-related information to local law enforcement or the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).
Anonymous tips can also be submitted online through P3Tips.com, and cash rewards may be available for credible information leading to arrests.
“Each of these deaths represents a tragedy that could have been prevented,” said Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. “Our office will continue to hold those who profit from deadly drugs fully accountable.”
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