A Riverside County man has been sentenced to 15 years to life for the second-degree murder of 30-year-old Calin Sender’s fentanyl-related death.
Quinn Aaron McKellip, a 39-year-old resident of Winchester, supplied a lethal dose of fentanyl to Sender in January 2020.
Evidence presented at trial showed that the defendant sold multiple types of narcotics to the victim over several months, including on January 16, 2020. On the evening of January 17, 2020, first responders found Sender deceased on the bedroom floor of his home. The Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner determined Sender’s cause of death to be acute fentanyl intoxication.
“The sale of fentanyl and the actions that lead to the death of another person have devastating, far-reaching impacts,” District Attorney Mike Hestrin said. “These crimes shatter families and communities, and we will continue to hold those responsible with full accountability here in Riverside County.”
McKellips is to serve 15 years in state prison before he is eligible for parole. The court denied probation after stating that he is a danger to the public if not in custody due to his past convictions for the sales of narcotics. The judge ordered McKellips to pay victim restitution, an amount to be defined by the probation department.
During Friday’s sentencing, victim impact statements were read by several members of Sender’s family, including his cousin, Jessica Chapple. “Calin didn’t die by accident. He died because someone decided that money was worth more than a human life,” Chapple said.
Defendants in similar cases have entered guilty pleas before reaching a jury trial, resulting in multiple convictions. McKellips’ case represents the second fentanyl-related murder conviction achieved through a jury trial in Riverside County, with fewer than 10 in California.
Jury trials require the prosecution to meet a high burden of proof, demonstrating the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt, making this conviction particularly significant.
