San Jose

Search for Answers After San Jose Officer Dies of Fentanyl Toxicity

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The San Jose Police Department is still reeling after learning that a fentanyl overdose was to blame for the death of Officer De'Jon Packer.

For over a month, multiple sources have been telling NBC Bay Area that Packer was at a party with other officers the night before he died. Now the question is who those people were and whether they had any involvement.

Legal analyst Steven Clark said whomever gave Packer the drug, either during or before the party, could end up in jail.

"Did they know there was fentanyl in there? And if they did, they could face a second-degree murder charge," Clark said. "It wouldn’t be the first time in Santa Clara County that charge has been filed."

Sources also tell NBC Bay Area that several San Jose police officers could face internal and criminal investigations for conduct related to the Packer case.

Packer's body was found in his Milpitas home. The Milpitas Police Department, which is handling the death investigation, said it's waiting for the coroner's full report before proceeding. That could take several more weeks.

"It is difficult when it's an officer involved in a situation like this," Clark said. "You don’t think of a police officer and drug overdose in the same sentence. But what needs to be done here is a careful, thorough investigation."

San Jose police Chief Anthony Mata issued a statement, saying, in part, "Any allegation of illegal drug use by a San Jose police officer is concerning. There are no free passes for police officers, and we will not make excuses. When an officer violates the public trust, on or off duty, I will hold them accountable."

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