Cleveland, Tennessee, police make arrest in fentanyl overdose death

Tracy Lynn Sheldon-Malamphy thumbnail
Tracy Lynn Sheldon-Malamphy thumbnail
photo Tracy Lynn Sheldon-Malamphy

Cleveland, Tennessee, police have arrested a woman after they found a man dead in his apartment from a drug overdose.

On Aug. 24, Joseph Thomas, 37, was found dead at his apartment in Cleveland. Detective Matt Landolt led the investigation for the Cleveland Police Department and determined that Thomas had died of an overdose that involved fentanyl.

Thomas' mother had found him after she told officers she had not spoken to him in about a week, according to an incident report. The two had agreed to meet for lunch that week but when she came to pick him up, Thomas' car was not there.

The day he was found, Thomas' mother came back to the apartment and the door was unlocked. She found him with "his feet hanging over the tub in the bathroom." Thomas' mother told officers her son had previously dealt with drug addiction in New Hampshire but had been clean for some time as he worked and kept a job.

Seven months later, Tracy Lynn Sheldon-Malamphy was arrested on May 24 on an indictment by the Bradley County Grand Jury.

Sheldon-Malamphy is being charged with second-degree murder, selling and the delivery of fentanyl and conspiracy to sell and deliver fentanyl.

She is being held on a $100,000 appearance bond.

Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.

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