A 24-year-old Annandale man is accused of providing heroin laced with fentanyl to an 18-year-old South Haven man who overdosed this spring, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Stearns County District Court.

Zachary V. Wolf was charged with one felony count of third-degree murder related to the distribution of a controlled substance.

According to the complaint, law enforcement responded to a report of a dead body at a residence in the 4900 block of Bluehill Circle in South Haven on March 16. The deceased was identified as Landis A. Benton.

Drug paraphernalia and a piece of tin foil with a black tarlike substance were found next to Benton's body.

A man told investigators he smoked heroin with Benton the previous afternoon but left after he got sick and vomited. He also told investigators Benton used Wolf as his source for heroin.

An autopsy revealed the cause of death as accidental and from the toxic effects of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Stearns County Jail, Star Tribune
Wolf

Phone communications show Wolf and Benton had previously met with a dealer, from whom Wolf purchased heroin and other controlled substances.

Wolf was previously convicted of a felony for fifth-degree drug possession in Wright County in 2019.

Jenny Berg