CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. — Two people were sentenced for aggravated involuntary manslaughter in the fentanyl overdose death of a Carroll County man.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
On May 28, 2024, Carroll County deputies responded to Tanner Hospital in Villa Rica regarding the overdose death of Shelby “Clint” Houpe, who died from fentanyl toxicity, officials said.
Houpe’s parents informed police that he had recently tested negative for drugs after being discharged from a treatment center.
Houpe’s parents told investigators they discovered messages on Clint’s phone stating he ‘had $100 to spend,’ and phone numbers were exchanged with Brittany Ridley.
A search warrant executed at Ridley’s home revealed fentanyl, baggies, scales, and other drug paraphernalia, according to authorities. Ridley admitted to selling fentanyl to Clint and stated she obtained it from Stacy Dobbs.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Atlanta-area student found dead in her Furman University dorm
- 17-month-old drowned in bathtub after ingesting cocaine; father charged with murder
- Teen sentenced in crash that killed Alpharetta family of 6
Surveillance footage from Paradise Apartments showed Ridley and Dobbs meeting and exchanging items, followed by Ridley conducting a transaction with Clint.
This case is one of the first prosecuted under ‘Austin’s Law.
‘Austin’s Law,’ passed in 2024, created the offense of aggravated involuntary manslaughter for fentanyl overdose deaths, making it a felony punishable by 10 to 30 years or life imprisonment.
This week, a judge sentenced Dobbs to 40 years, while Ridley was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]