A Westfield man is facing manslaughter charges after allegedly selling a deadly synthetic opioid that led to the overdose death of a South Hadley woman in May.
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – A Westfield man is facing manslaughter charges after allegedly selling a deadly synthetic opioid that led to the overdose death of a South Hadley woman in May.
Christopher Halla, 42, was indicted by a Hampshire County grand jury and is set to be arraigned in Hampshire Superior Court on Tuesday at 11 a.m. Halla is charged with manslaughter and tampering with evidence in connection with the May 23, 2024, death of a 57-year-old woman.
According to investigators, Halla sold what he claimed to be oxycodone to the victim. However, the pills contained metonitazene, a potent synthetic opioid far stronger than fentanyl, which is currently a leading cause of the nationwide overdose crisis.
In the course of the investigation, the State Police Detective Unit attached to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, along with the DA’s Anti-Crime Task Force, conducted a controlled drug buy from Halla. During this operation, police seized additional pills containing metonitazene.
In a separate case, Halla was also indicted by a Franklin County grand jury for possession with intent to distribute a class A substance related to the controlled drug purchase. His arraignment on that charge has not yet been scheduled.
If convicted, Halla faces significant penalties, as local authorities continue to combat the opioid crisis that has taken many lives in the region.
Local News Headlines
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.