Austin Man Charged with Murder for Fentanyl Overdose, Additional Charges Filed

On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, Austin police responded to a welfare check in the 2800 block of West Anderson Lane at approximately 9:08 p.m. Upon arrival, officers found 60-year-old Troy Nicholas Cernosek unconscious and not breathing. Despite efforts from Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS) and the Austin Fire Department (AFD) to revive him, Mr. Cernosek was pronounced dead on the scene at 9:50 p.m.

The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be the “toxic effect of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and codeine.” An investigation revealed that Cernosek had purchased fentanyl from 35-year-old Christopher Michael McDermott. McDermott was arrested on September 13, 2023, for an unrelated warrant, and was allowed to post bond while the investigation into Cernosek’s death continued.

Further investigation, including video surveillance, plain clothes surveillance, and witness statements, confirmed McDermott’s involvement in Cernosek’s death. Multiple search warrants for phones, social media accounts, and witness testimony solidified McDermott as the suspect.

On November 25, 2024, detectives with the Austin Police Department’s Narcotics Support Unit issued an arrest warrant for McDermott for the charge of Manufacture or Delivery of a Controlled Substance Causing Death or Serious Bodily Injury, a third-degree felony. McDermott was arrested for this warrant on November 28, 2024. A second arrest warrant for Murder, a first-degree felony, was executed on December 3, 2024.

McDermott is currently facing charges related to the death of Mr. Cernosek.