Nearly 900 people died from overdoses in Marion County alone last year, according to metro police.
Catching the dealers behind these deaths has been a challenge.
"I've been on a couple of those scenes where I've talked to families who say, 'Why did my son have to die and what are you going to do about? They didn't deserve to die,' and they're right," said IMPD Deputy Chief, Kendale Adams.
Overdoses have been the leading cause of death in Marion County for the past few years, according to state data. Fentanyl laced drugs is attributed to most cases.
"That's nearly 900 people, but when you add the families, you're looking at thousands of people that are impacted, so those people deserve our effort. They deserve closure the same way a homicide family does," said Adams.
However, that closure rarely happens for families of a person who died from taking a lethal amount of drugs.
"It's very difficult because we are actually proving a drug related homicide occurred and we are also having to prove that the individual we are going to charge was the one that gave that fatal dosage unit," said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Michael Gannon.
In hopes of tackling drug dealers, IMPD now has a full-time team dedicated to those cases, in partnership with the DEA's office.
The team was previously hybrid, meaning detectives were on call and would respond to overdose scenes at the request of the Marion County Coroner's Office.
"Approaching 900 deaths, we weren't going to look at every one, so we had to develop criteria that would enable us to highlight the cases that were most likely to be prosecuted," said Adams.
The criteria included five key factors.
"If any three are met then that would necessitate a call from the Marion County Coroner's Office to our overdose response team detective who would then start the investigation right there," said Adams.
"It's difficult, but we are doing it and we're learning a lot of new investigative techniques to help make these cases and, and it's really important to make them," said Gannon.
Indy's response team is one of the few in the state dedicated to dealing resulting in death cases.
"It doesn't translate to more cases, because cases are dependent on evidence. In 2023, there are seven cases we've taken, one federally, the other six are state. The feedback I've gotten from the prosecutor's office is they like these cases, so we are going to try and push them," said Adams.
Michael Krug says it's important the agencies care enough to drop the stigma behind these cases and further investigate.
"Sometimes the only way these loved ones can matter is starting with the police showing that they care, and they get involved in these alliances that do matter. They can support the families and show some worth to these people because there are too many people being lost," said Krug.
Krug's 19-year-old son, Brennan, died from fentanyl poisoning.
"He was a great spirit," said Krug. "It's a huge heartache that you cannot explain. It comes over in waves, you have good days, and you have bad days. Every day is filled with a heavy heart."
"They want that accountability, and they want the person that lead to the poisoning death of their loved one," said Gannon. "We're going to keep doing it. We're arresting drug dealers. We're going to hold them accountable."
