ROSEVILLE – On February 3, 2026, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office announced that Brandon Garner, 44, was convicted of second-degree murder in connection with the fentanyl death of a local man reported in July 2023. This marks the county’s fourth fentanyl murder conviction.

The arrest was made after an investigation by the Placer Special Investigations Unit (PSIU), a collaborative effort by the California Department of Justice, Placer County Sheriff’s Office, Roseville Police Department, Rocklin Police Department, Auburn Police Department and the Placer County Probation Department.

Garner is set to be sentenced on March 23, 2026.

“Murder convictions in connection with fentanyl deaths should send a strong message to those pushing illegal drugs.  Local district attorneys’ offices are pursuing murder charges more frequently and juries are handing down guilty verdicts,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.