Two Hammond Men Indicted for Second Degree Murder in Washington Parish Drug Overdose Death
November 19, 2025
District Attorney J. Collin Sims announces that on November 18, 2025, a Washington Parish grand jury indicted 41-year-old William B. Payne and 26-year-old Tanner T. Beyl, both of Hammond, for second degree murder in connection with the fentanyl overdose death of a 47-year-old male in Franklinton on June 19, 2025. Assistant District Attorney Ronnie Gracianette presented the case to the grand jury.
These indictments result from a 3½-month joint investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Fentanyl Overdose Response Team, the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Opioid Initiative. Lieutenant Allen Dupre of the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, serving as a DEA Task Force Officer, led the investigation.
During the investigation, the Fentanyl Overdose Response Team successfully identified both the dealer and the dealer’s supplier. This case underscores the serious ramifications of the opioid epidemic on local communities, emphasizing the need for continued law enforcement collaborative efforts and public awareness.