Suspects plead guilty in two separate deadly fentanyl cases in Travis County
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The 167th District Courtroom at the Travis County Courthouse saw two guilty pleas Friday related to deadly fentanyl cases.
In the case of 67-year-old Curtis Habbit, prosecutors and defense attorneys reached a plea deal for 10 years of probation with conditions.
Habbit was arrested last year in connection with a 2023 case where police believe he sold suspected fentanyl pills to a woman, who was later found dead in her southeast Austin apartment. Further details about his punishment will be hashed out at his sentencing hearing next month.
Luis Guajardo also plead guilty in his case related to the May 2022 death of John Salem, 38.
According to Guajardo's arrest affidavit, he sold counterfeit Percocet pills to Salem, and the investigation revealed the pills contained fentanyl. The affidavit also states Guajardo told Salem the drugs did not contain fentanyl.
Guajardo pled guilty, but not because of a plea deal -- instead, he chose to move forward with the punishment phase of trial, during which Judge Dayna Blazey will determine his sentence. That hearing is scheduled for July 14 and 15.
Both Habbit and Guajardo were arrested on charges of manufacturing and/or delivering a controlled substance that caused death or serious bodily injury.
Habbit is currently in custody, according to Travis County jail records. Guajardo is not.
Salem's brother, mother find him dead in New Braunfels home
"I don't think anyone should have to find their brother dead, much less at the hands of someone else," said Stewart Mann, Salem's older brother.
He said his family has been coming to court hearings for almost three years hoping to see the case move forward.
"Hoping for a sentence, hoping for justice, you know?" he said.
Salem's mother, Libby Pender, said Salem was a college graduate and working as a business development manager.
"John as the funniest, friendliest, person you could ever imagine, the kindest, big-hearted," Pender said. "He didn't care what walk of like you were in, he was your friend."
Harsher penalties for fentanyl dealers, manufacturers
In 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill that allowed prosecutors to seek murder charges for fentanyl dealers or manufactures when a recipient dies as a result of the drug.
The law went into effect September 1, 2023. For context, Guajardo's case happened before the law went into effect, Habbit's happened after.
The law states a suspect must know they're dealing fentanyl for murder charges to be possible.