Judge Scott Arthur Evans sentenced Abigail Fanus, 34, of Elizabethtown to 9 to 22 years in state prison for her role in the 2017 fentanyl overdose death of twenty-five year old Elizabeth Loranzo.  On March 19, 2017, Fanus sold a quantity of heroin laced with fentanyl to Loranzo’s boyfriend, Kyle Cox.  After Cox shared the drugs with Loranzo, she overdosed and died.  A joint investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division of the District Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania State Police led to the arrest of Fanus and Teewon Weah of Millersville, PA.  Fanus initially cooperated with investigators leading to the arrest of Weah, her supplier.  Authorities believed that Fanus was an addict who sold to support her own opioid habit and to turn a profit.  While cooperating and while her co-conspirator’s case was pending, Fanus was arrested again selling a combination of heroin and fentanyl in Lancaster County.

On October 9, 2019, Fanus pleaded guilty in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas to multiple drug charges including one count of drug delivery resulting in death.  On December 2, 2019, Judge Evans imposed the above sentence.  In addition to the 9 to 22 year state prison sentence imposed by Judge Evans, Fanus will have to serve a consecutive 4 ½ to 15 year sentence for her 2018 Lancaster County drug convictions.  In total, Fanus received a 13 ½ to 37 years of imprisonment for her heroin and fentanyl dealing activities.    

Chief Deputy District Attorney Stephen R. Zawisky noted that the sentence as it was justified under the circumstances.  “Fanus caused the death of a person and at first tried to do the right thing.  Despite facing very serious charges, she continued dealing what she knows is an extremely deadly drug.  Her actions were unconscionable.”  Zawisky applauded the efforts of all investigating officers, especially the lead investigator, Trooper James Fisher of the Pennsylvania State Police, who quickly determined the source of the deadly drug.