Banning man arrested for fentanyl-related death of missing 15-year-old girl
A Banning man has been charged with murder in connection with the fentanyl poisoning death of a missing 15-year-old girl.
The case started on the night of January 14, 23, that's when deputies found the body of the 15-year-old on the 12400 block of Dailey Road in Banning. According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, deputies found the girl, who was reported missing, dead in the backseat of a vehicle in the area.
The agency said the Coroner’s Bureau ultimately determined the teen died as a result of fentanyl poisoning. The Riverside Sheriff’s Office Overdose Death Investigations and Narcotics Unit (ODIN) took over the investigation.
The investigation lasted several months, but authorities were able to identify James Dailey, 51, of Banning as the suspect responsible for the 15-year-old's death. A Ramey warrant for murder was issued for Dailey, who was located and arrested on June 4 in Banning.
Dailey was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility for murder.
On June 22, 2023, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office filed murder, felony child endangerment, and an enhancement for causing death to a juvenile.
This investigation is ongoing, and anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Investigator Hollingsworth at 951-955-1700.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind citizens of the dangers of illicit narcotics, many of which may contain fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times stronger than morphine and can cause death or serious bodily harm.
In 2022, the county reported 505 fentanyl-related deaths. There have been 68 fentanyl-related deaths in the county between January and February of this year.
I-Team investigator Karen Devine recently investigated local efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis in the Coachella Valley. Hear from Riverside County DA Mike Hestrin and State Assemblymember Greg Wallis, as well as a parent who lost their child, in her special report, "Fatal Flaw."
