Oxnard man charged with murder in connection with 2023 fentanyl overdose Thursday

OXNARD, Calif. – Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced Thursday that Rodney Rey Yanez of Oxnard has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Dylan Rusch after the defendant sold fentanyl to the deceased in September of 2023.

Yanez is facing an additional nine felonies and four misdemeanors related to alleged drug possession and sales shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office in a press release Thursday.

This is the first time that a murder charge has been filed against a person who knowingly sold the synthetic opioid fentanyl to a person causing their death shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

"The filing of murder charges in a fentanyl overdose case underscores the grave responsibility we have to protect our community from the devastating impact of this deadly drug," said District Attorney Nasarenko. "We are committed to seeking justice for victims and holding accountable those who provide this poison."

On Sep. 20, 2023, officers and emergency medical personnel responded to a reported overdose in the restroom of a gas station in the 1500 block of W. Gonzales Road stated the Oxnard Police Department.

First responders performed life-saving measures on the person, later identified as Dylan Rusch who was an employee of the gas station at the time, but were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead at the scene detailed the Oxnard Police Department.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, toxicology results from the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office show a lethal level of fentanyl was the cause of Rusch's death.

After an investigation into the incident by the Oxnard Police Department's Drug Enforcement Unit, interviews with multiple witnesses, and the execution of several search warrants, Rodney Rey Yanez of Oxnard was ultimately identified as the person that sold the lethal fentanyl to Rusch explained the Oxnard Police Department.

Yanez was also connected to a series of narcotics-related incidents beginning in January of 2023 shared the Oxnard Police Department.

On July 24, 2024, Yanez was located and arrested in the 5500 block of Everglade Street in Ventura stated the Oxnard Police Department.

Yanez faces the following charges and special allegations and charge enhancements:

• PC 187(a)-Second-Degree Murder
• HS 11352-Transport, Sell, or Distribute Controlled Substance (fentanyl)
• HS 11350(a)-Possession of a Controlled Substance (fentanyl)
• HS 11377(a)-Possession of a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine)
• Three Counts of HS 11379(a)-Sale/Transport/Offer to Sell a Controlled Substance
• Three Counts of HS 11378-Possession For Sale of a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine)
• HS 11352(a)-Sale/Transportation/Offer to Sell a Controlled Substance (fentanyl)
• HS 11351-Possession for Sale of a Controlled Substance (fentanyl)
• HS 11350(a)-Possession of a Controlled Substance (heroin)
• HS 11350(a)-Possession of a Controlled Substance (cocaine)
• Special Allegation CRC 4.421(a)(8)-Manner in which the Crime was Carried Out Indicates Planning, Sophistication, and Professionalism
• Special Allegation CRC 4.421(a)(10)-Crime Involved a Large Quantity of Contraband
• Special Allegation PC 1170.73-Quantity of Controlled Substance

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, Yanez was arraigned July 25 and he remains in custody with bail currently set at $1 million.

Yanez is next due in court for a bail review hearing on July 29 as well as a continued arraignment on his charges that reach back 14 months before the death of Rusch currently scheduled for Aug. 21 detailed the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Anyone with additional information about this or any other crimes are asked to contact the Oxnard Police Department at 805-385-7600 or online here.

You can also report information while remaining anonymous by calling 800-222-8477 or visiting here.

In 2023, the Ventura County Medical Examiner reported 265 overdoes deaths with fentanyl found in the system of 178 of those people shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

For more information about fentanyl, resources for those struggling with addiction, and where to get overdose rescue kits, click here.