Second Homicide Suspect Arrested in Fentanyl-Related Death of Bellingham Man

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The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office has arrested a second woman it suspects was involved in the sale of counterfeit prescription pills that contained fentanyl and led to an overdose death of a Bellingham man in November.

Rachael Gonzalez, 48, was booked Wednesday evening, May 27, into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of controlled substance homicide and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.

The arrest comes two weeks after the sheriff's office announced that it had arrested Katie Dyann Webb on May 14 on suspicion of controlled substance homicide and delivery of a controlled substance.

The sheriff's office at the time said in a press release that it was seeking a second suspect, and Chief Deputy Kevin Hester confirmed to The Bellingham Herald in an email Thursday that Gonzalez was that suspect. Hester added that Gonzalez was located Wednesday night at a Ferndale laundromat and arrested without incident.

Webb's and Gonzalez's arrests stem from the Nov. 23, 2019, overdose death of Jeremiah Crediford, 34, after he purchased what he believed were Percocet pills from Webb and Gonzalez, the release stated. Those pills were found to contain fentanyl, which caused Crediford's overdose.

Since Crediford's death, sheriff's investigators determined that he placed an order for five Percocet pills from Webb and wired her money on Nov. 22, according to the release.

Webb went to the Gonzalez's residence, picked up the pills then brought them to Crediford's home in the 4000 block of East 26th Avenue in Bellingham at approximately 11 p.m, the release stated. Two hours later, at 1 p.m. Nov. 23, a 911 call was made stating that Crediford was not breathing and CPR had begun.

CPR efforts were unsuccessful, and Crediford was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy confirmed that his cause of death was due to a fentanyl overdose.



Through records, detectives were able to backtrack the case, and earlier this month established probable cause for Webb's and Gonzalez's arrest, according to the release.

Webb, who formerly lived in Whatcom County, was tracked to a family member's home in East Wenatchee. On May 14, with the assistance of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office arrested Webb without incident, the release stated.

The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office also cautioned the public in regards to painkillers -- a warning the Whatcom County Prosecutor Attorney's office has since echoed.

"We are seeing a marked increase in illicit and counterfeit 'prescription' pills, such as Percocet and Oxycodone," the release stated. "These counterfeit pills are being sold on the street as Percocet or Oxy 30s, but actually are being made with fentanyl and other ingredients in illegal pill presses throughout the West Coast."

Since last fall, the sheriff's office reported, Whatcom County has seen 10 fatal overdoses and several other overdoses that did not result in death.

"The public is cautioned to only take prescription medication that is prescribed to you by a licensed medical doctor and purchased through a legitimate pharmacy," the release stated.

Webb was released from jail on May 15 on personal recognizance, and Whatcom County Superior Court records show she's scheduled to be arraigned June 19.

Court records also show that Gonzalez has previous multiple felony controlled substance convictions between 2001 and 2011 in Whatcom and Skagit counties.