San Francisco police arrest four suspects in teen's cychlorphine overdose death

San Francisco police have arrested four individuals in connection with the death of 16-year-old Dante Paul Lacourte, the city’s first fatal overdose involving the potent synthetic opioid cychlorphine. The teen was found unresponsive in his Lower Nob Hill home in April. An autopsy identified cychlorphine, a substance estimated to be significantly more potent than fentanyl, as the cause of death, alongside other substances including N-Desethyl isotonitazene and ethyl bromazolam.

Following an investigation that included undercover operations and digital evidence from the victim’s phone, authorities arrested Nicholas Wallace, 46, and Sharonee Hyson, 44, in the Tenderloin. Additionally, Leander Pitts, 46, and Starr Lamare, 39, were arrested in Bayview-Hunters Point. During raids at three San Francisco residences, police seized approximately 20,000 pills suspected of containing counterfeit substances, as well as MDMA, heroin, and a semi-automatic assault rifle.