Woman Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Edmonton Fentanyl Overdose Death

Morgan Churchill has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of Joseph Mercier, 60, who died after she injected him with a potent mix of fentanyl and cocaine. The incident occurred on December 22, 2022, when the couple was using drugs together.

According to an agreed statement of facts presented in court, Mercier lost consciousness moments after receiving the injection, which contained approximately one gram of fentanyl and 1.5 grams of cocaine. Churchill, who was also under the influence at the time, did not call for emergency services. Instead, she left the residence to spend time with friends for several days over the Christmas holiday.

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The people who are addicted to these substances are victims themselves, they lead to nothing but tragedy for the loved ones they leave behind.

Upon returning home with a friend after the holidays, Churchill discovered Mercier's body in a state of decomposition, prompting her to finally call 911 on December 28, 2022. Police initially treated the death as a potential overdose, with a toxicology report in March 2023 listing fentanyl toxicity as the cause of death and ruling it accidental.

However, a witness later came forward, leading police to reopen the investigation. An undercover "Mr. Big" operation in early 2025 resulted in Churchill's arrest and charges of second-degree murder. She later opted to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. Justice Steven Mandziuk sentenced Churchill to three-and-a-half years in prison, accounting for time already served. The judge cited Churchill's own struggles with fentanyl addiction and childhood trauma as mitigating factors, emphasizing that the case involved drug users rather than dealers.

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this is not a drug-dealer scenario, this is a drug-user scenario.