Woman accused in former Tarrant County judge’s fentanyl overdose death won’t be tried for murder
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: NTX woman charged in boyfriend's overdose death
The law allowing Kami Ludwig to be charged with murder is still new and, so far, has mostly been used against drug dealers and drug suppliers -- not the buyers. It will be up to a grand jury to decide if her alleged purchase of the drugs that led to her boyfriend's overdose constitutes a murder charge.
GRAPEVINE, Texas - A Tarrant County grand jury decided not to move forward with a murder charge against the North Texas woman who allegedly gave her boyfriend a lethal dose of fentanyl.
North Texas attorney and former Tarrant County Judge William Shane Nolen died of a fentanyl overdose in November.
William Shane Nolen (Family Photo)
In February, Grapevine police arrested his girlfriend, Kami Ludwig, saying she purchased fentanyl-laced pills, Xanax, cocaine, and more from dealers in Fort Worth and Louisiana.
Ludwig was initially charged with murder based on a new state law that went into effect in September, creating a criminal offense of murder for manufacturing or supplying fentanyl that results in death.
However, the grand jury declined to indict her on that charge.
She was instead indicted on two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
"We are grateful to the grand jury for their careful review of this case, which led to the decision not to indict my client on a fentanyl murder charge. Any drug overdose resulting in death is a tragedy. We continue to extend our deepest condolences to the friends and family mourning the loss of former Judge Shane Nolen," said Tiffany Burks, Ludwig’s defense attorney.
The law allowing Ludwig to be charged with murder is still new and, so far, has mostly been used against drug dealers and drug suppliers.
Criminal defense attorney Zachary Ferguson, who is not affiliated with the case, told FOX 4 back in February that he thought the murder case against Ludwig would be difficult for the state to prove.
North Texas woman charged in former Tarrant County judge's fentanyl overdose death
The law allowing Kami Ludwig to be charged with murder is still new and, so far, has mostly been used against drug dealers and drug suppliers -- not the buyers. It will be up to a grand jury to decide if her alleged purchase of the drugs that led to her boyfriend's overdose constitutes a murder charge.
"From my understanding of the facts of this case, I don’t think that was the intent of the bill," Ferguson said. "When the bill was passed, I don’t think it was intended to pursue individuals who are drug users."
At the time, Grapevine police were still working to track down the dealers that Ludwig allegedly purchased the drugs from.