Springfield woman sentenced for distributing fentanyl that caused a man’s death

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Springfield woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court Tuesday for distributing fentanyl, resulting in the death of a man from Springfield.

According to a press release from federal courts, 38-year-old Whitney R. Weiherer was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison without parole by a U.S. District Judge.

Weiherer pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl causing death on Sept. 7, 2023, admitting she provided the fentanyl that led to the death of a Springfield man (identified as “J.W.” in court documents).

On Oct. 22, 2019, Springfield police officers responded to a call from the property manager of J.W.’s apartment complex, who discovered his body while conducting a wellness check in that apartment.

Investigators examined J.W.’s phone and found calls and texts with Weiherer and photos of Weiherer in J.W.’s apartment on Oct. 5, 2019. The photos also showed J.W. wearing the same clothes as he was when officers found his body.

Investigators concluded that J.W. died within 10 and 15 minutes of taking the fentanyl supplied by Weiherer on Oct. 5, 2019, despite his body being discovered on Oct. 22.

Weiherer previously had two felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance. She was on probation at the time of the federal offense and was arrested two months later while possessing drugs, leading to a third felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.

The case was investigated by the Springfield Police Department.

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