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Man arrested for murder months after coworker overdosed on fentanyl: TPD

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Published  February 18, 2025 11:18am EST
Tampa
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • Charles Zumbahlen, 31, faces a murder charge months after the overdose death of his coworker, Zachary Reed.
    • Tampa police said Zumbahlen admitted to supplying Reed with drugs, including fentanyl.
    • Reed has been in jail without bond since his arrest on Feb. 13.

TAMPA, Fla. - A man faces a first-degree murder charge months after Tampa police say he gave fentanyl to a coworker who later overdosed.

The backstory:

On Nov. 25, 2024, police found Zachary Reed, 27, dead at a home in the 1000 block of E. 32nd Ave. in Tampa.

The Tampa Police Department said a bag containing fentanyl was found in Reed's bedroom, and the Medical Examiner's Office later determined that Reed died from fentanyl intoxication.

On Nov. 26, according to TPD, another law enforcement agency found fentanyl and a tranquilizer on Charles Zumbahlen, 31, during a traffic stop.

Mugshot of Charles Zumbahlen. Courtesy: Tampa Police Department.

Mugshot of Charles Zumbahlen. Courtesy: Tampa Police Department.

Investigators said Zumbahlen later admitted to regularly supplying Reed with drugs.

Tampa police and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested Zumbahlen on Feb. 13 on a charge of first-degree murder resulting from the unlawful distribution of fentanyl. Jail records show he's being held without bond.

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What they're saying:

"This arrest should send a clear message that there is zero tolerance for this behavior in our community," Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement released Tuesday. "The Tampa Police Department is committed to holding these individuals accountable for the harm they cause."

The Source: This story was written using information provided by the Tampa Police Department.

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