St. Cloud Pair Charged in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A fentanyl overdose death in a St. Cloud apartment has led to murder charges against two people accused of roles in the victim’s death.
The man was discovered deceased shortly after 1:09 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2025, when St. Cloud police were called to an apartment building after a reported overdose.
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Officers entered the apartment and found a man unresponsive near a chair and desk. He was later pronounced dead, and a medical examination determined the cause of death was fentanyl toxicity. Investigators documented drug paraphernalia at the scene, including burnt tinfoil, white powder residue and a spoon consistent with narcotics usage.
Court records show Jennifer Theresa Bowers, 41, of St. Cloud, and Sier Tyree Hinds, 32, of St. Cloud, are each charged with third-degree murder connected to the distribution of a controlled substance. Prosecutors allege Bowers sold fentanyl to the victim while Hinds supplied the drug that allegedly caused the fatal overdose.
According to the criminal complaints, investigators spent months reviewing phone records, financial transactions and social media communications after the death. Messages recovered from the victim’s phone showed repeated contact with Bowers in the days leading up to the overdose, including requests for “fetty,” a slang term investigators say refers to fentanyl.
Police say Bowers told the victim she knew someone who could supply the drug. Records later showed money transfers moving from the victim to Bowers and then to an account linked to Hinds, which investigators described as consistent with drug sales. Authorities allege Hinds supplied fentanyl to Bowers between Sept. 21 and Sept. 29, 2025, and that she then sold it to the victim.
On Sept. 29, messages show Bowers arranging to obtain the drug and later delivering it. Financial records indicate the victim sent $60 to Bowers, followed by a $40 transfer from Bowers to an account tied to Hinds. Shortly afterward, the victim messaged that the substance “was good,” according to the complaint.
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Investigators believe that purchase was the final transaction before the fatal overdose. The following day, the victim’s phone began accumulating missed calls, and he was found dead the next afternoon.
Prosecutors allege Bowers directly caused the death by distributing fentanyl, while Hinds aided and abetted the offense by supplying the drug that was ultimately sold. Each faces a felony charge carrying a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $40,000 fine if convicted.
Bowers was charged by warrant and has not yet been taken into custody. Hinds was charged by summons but is currently in custody on unrelated fleeing charges. He made an initial court appearance where bail was set at $500,000 with conditions including remaining law abiding, no alcohol or controlled substance use and random testing.
