29-year-old mother of 3 described as “bright, bold and fierce” died after her 45-year-old boyfriend, who was a drug dealer, gave her a deadly dose of fentanyl; boyfriend charged
Indiana – In a devastating case in Indiana, a 45-year-old man, identified as J. Duvall, is now facing a serious felony charge after his 29-year-old girlfriend and a young mother of three, identified as K. Swafford, died from a fentanyl overdose he allegedly supplied. Duvall has been formally charged with dealing a controlled substance resulting in death, an offense that carries the potential for up to 40 years in prison.
The charge stems from the death of Swafford, who died on June 27 after overdosing on fentanyl while inside a home she and Duvall were staying at. Court records indicate that Duvall was not only present at the time of the incident, but that he admitted to providing the fentanyl that killed her. According to investigators, Duvall told police he saw Swafford standing by the bed smoking fentanyl before he fell asleep. When he woke up, she was lying face down on the floor. Rather than calling 911 immediately, he hesitated. In text messages later recovered from his phone, Duvall revealed his internal conflict, admitting that he struggled with whether or not to call for help—possibly due to an outstanding warrant. Eventually, he made the call, but by the time first responders arrived, he had already left the scene.
Duvall’s uncle, who was still at the home, informed police that his nephew likely fled because he had a warrant out for his arrest. Medics attempted to revive Swafford, but it was too late. She was pronounced dead at the scene. In the days following the incident, police were contacted by someone who claimed Duvall was distraught over Swafford’s death. That individual told investigators that Duvall had admitted to giving her the fentanyl, reinforcing suspicions that he played a direct role in her overdose.
When police executed a warrant for Duvall’s phone, they uncovered messages that painted a clearer picture of what happened that night. In one of the texts, Duvall reflected on his regret, writing, “Trust me there hasn’t been a minute that past where I haven’t thought about what could have been done differently.” In another message, he allegedly confirmed that he had given her the drugs.
Roughly a month after Swafford’s death, Duvall was arrested on a separate narcotics possession charge. While being transported to the county jail, he reportedly made a chilling admission: “It is kinda like my fault.” Since that arrest, he has remained in custody, and the charge of dealing a controlled substance resulting in death was added weeks later. Court documents suggest Duvall was actively involved in drug distribution at the time of Swafford’s death, which likely contributed to prosecutors pursuing the harshest available charge.
Swafford’s obituary describes her as “bright, bold and fierce.” She leaves behind three children and a family now mourning a preventable tragedy. Duvall’s next court appearance is scheduled for November 26, when the legal process will continue to unfold. While the full weight of the law has yet to fall, one thing is tragically clear: a young mother lost her life, and her children lost their mother, to a moment of hesitation, addiction, and devastating choice.
