Fentanyl deaths in Athens continue to mount

By Joe Johnson

A 30-year-old woman from Snellville checked into an Atlanta Highway motel room last Thursday evening and less than 48 hours later her lifeless body was found sprawled across the bed.

She became the fourth person to apparently die from fentanyl use not even two full months into the new year, continuing the deadly trend of nearly three dozen such deaths in 2025.

According to Athens-Clarke County Coroner Michael Eberhart, in 2025 there were 33 confirmed or suspected fentanyl-related deaths. Some causes remain pending the results of autopsies by the state medical examiner’s office.

Fentanyl is an exceptionally dangerous, synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and significantly stronger than heroin

Its lethality is driven by its high potency, rapid action on the body, and prevalence in the illegal drug market without users' knowledge. 

In the Snellville woman’s case, she knowingly used the drug despite the risks,

Her sister reportedly told police that cocaine and fentanyl were her drugs of choice.