Man Charged In Death Of UCO Student

Prosecutors have charged a man on suspicion of dealing pills that killed a UCO student last October.

According to police, Kyle Ward thought he was buying Oxycodone but instead was sold a much more powerful drug, Fentanyl. A vivacious teen, known for his wit and moves on the dance floor was suddenly lifeless.

911 caller: I came to his house this morning and he wasn’t awake. I don’t think he's breathing.

Kyle Ward's friend made a frantic call to 911 after finding him unconscious in his home.

911: We are going to pump the chest hard and fast

When emergency responders arrived it was too late.

"When we arrived, he was pronounced dead by the fire department," said Edmond Police spokeswoman Emily Ward.

With no trauma to his body, friends of the UCO student told police what they believed killed him.

"They were all aware that he did have a bit of a pill addiction, so they suspected that could possibly be the cause of death," said Ward.         

Through the victim's cell phone, police uncovered an exchange of Snapchat messages between the victim and this account belonging to Cameron Payne. Documents show Payne sold Ward a pill that looked Oxycodone.

"That pill was marked M-30 and ended up have Fentanyl in it and that's what killed him," said Ward.

And while police aren't certain that Payne knew the pills were deadly when he sold them to Ward, they say recorded video he posted to social media proves at some point he knew exactly what he was selling.

"He outright said these are not Xanax. These are not Oxycodone. They have Fentanyl, and they are killing people,” said Ward.  

He's now charged with the 20-year-old's death.

"It's just as deadly as going out and shooting someone," said Ward.          

According to court records, Payne was denied bond and remains in the Oklahoma County Detention Center.