BLOOMINGTON — A Bloomington man has been charged with murder after a woman died from a fatal fentanyl overdose in June. Seth G. Svenson, 46, was arrested on Thursday, August 7, for felony dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death. He is currently being held at the Monroe County Jail on a $100,500 bond.
The investigation began on the morning of June 18, when a man called 911 to report finding his 38-year-old girlfriend dead in their Odell Drive apartment. The boyfriend stated that he, the female victim, and Svenson had used a fentanyl-laced heroin mixture the night before. Police found drug paraphernalia and a baggie of fentanyl near the victim.
According to a Bloomington Police Department news release, the boyfriend identified Svenson as his drug supplier. He said he and his girlfriend had picked up Svenson on June 17 because his vehicle had broken down and took him to the woman’s apartment. They had purchased $120 worth of drugs from Sevenson on Cash App.
The boyfriend admitted to using some of the drugs that night, which he said caused him to pass out several times. He also said Svenson used drugs with them. When the boyfriend awoke the next morning, his girlfriend was slumped over the side of the bed and unresponsive. The boyfriend said he told Svenson he was calling 911, prompting Svenson to leave the apartment immediately.
According to the Monroe County Coroner’s Office, the woman died of acetylfentanyl and fentanyl toxicity, and her death was classified as accidental.
Detectives later interviewed Svenson after he was arrested on June 25 on an unrelated warrant. According to police, Svenson admitted to selling drugs to the couple that night, saying $60 of the $120 payment was for half a gram of narcotics and the rest was to settle a prior drug debt. He told investigators he had purchased the drugs earlier that day from a man known as “Cowboy,” whom he described as selling the “strongest” narcotics.
Svenson has several other pending charges from earlier this year, including resisting law enforcement, driving while intoxicated, and possession of a controlled substance. He also faces three pending contempt of court charges for failing to appear at previous hearings. An initial court hearing for the most recent charge was scheduled for August 11.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
