Woman Charged with Murder in San Angelo for 2024 Fentanyl Death

SAN ANGELO, TX — Nearly one year after the death of a 23-year-old woman in a suspected overdose, San Angelo police have arrested and charged another woman with murder under Texas’ strengthened fentanyl law.

Krystiana Knikole Ratcliffe, 23, was taken into custody on July 17, 2025, following what authorities described as a lengthy and complex investigation. She is accused of providing the narcotics that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Izabella Rodriguez.

Police were dispatched to a residence in the 3200 block of Southland Boulevard on Aug. 1, 2024, at about 9:38 a.m. Officers arrived to find Rodriguez deceased. Initial observations suggested the death may have resulted from a drug overdose, and a substance found at the scene presumptively tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Rodriguez was transported for autopsy, and the medical examiner later ruled the cause of death as “Acute Intoxication with Fentanyl,” according to a statement from SAPD.

The department’s Criminal Investigations Division, along with the Texas Department of Public Safety’s CID, utilized cellphone data, drug field testing, DNA analysis from packaging found at the scene, and additional digital evidence to identify Ratcliffe as the suspected source of the drugs.

Griffith credited Detective Chase Hill and CID staff for navigating extensive data and utilizing new technology to establish probable cause.

"His commander said that this is some of simply some of the best police work he's ever seen," said San Angelo Police Chief Travis Griffith during a Friday press conference.

House Bill 6, which took effect on Sept. 1, 2023, allows Texas law enforcement to charge individuals with murder if they knowingly deliver fentanyl resulting in death. The law was cited as the basis for Ratcliffe’s arrest.

Ratcliffe remains held at the Tom Green County Jail on a $1 million bond. The case will proceed to a grand jury.

The investigation remains ongoing. Police thanked DPS, the Tom Green County District Attorney’s Office, and Bode Technology for their assistance.