Man arrested in 2018 death of Canyon Lake man

A San Diego man was arrested in El Cajon Monday by Canyon Lake Police Department’s Overdose Death Investigations and Narcotics Unit (ODIN) of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for the 2018 fentanyl-poisoning death of Canyon Lake resident Devahn Reed.

Christopher Koppa

Christopher Michael Koppa, 36, was arrested and charged with the felony murder of Devahn and with the murder of another fentanyl-poisoning death of a Lake Elsinore man. Christopher is also charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of narcotics and controlled-substance paraphernalia. He is being held on $1 million bail at the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.

On Aug. 25, 2018, about 11:40 p.m., Perris Sheriff’s Station Deputies who were working under contract of the City of Canyon Lake were dispatched to a call of an unresponsive male adult in the 22000 block of Canyon Lake’s Hoofbeat Way. Upon the deputies‘ arrival, it was determined 30-year-old Devahn was deceased from unknown causes.

Nearly four years later, in May earlier this year, ODIN assumed the case as it was determined that Devahn was a victim of a fentanyl poisoning. The investigation continued and Christopher was identified as being the suspect responsible for selling the fentanyl that killed Devahn.

Additionally, Investigators assigned to ODIN identified a second fentanyl poisoning for which the suspect was responsible. This poisoning occurred on Sept. 11, 2018, at 9:26 a.m., when Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station Deputies were dispatched to a call of a deceased male in the 31000 block of Cedarhill Lane, Lake Elsinore. ODIN investigators determined the death of 34-year-old Patrick Schwab was also a result of fentanyl poisoning. Christopher was located on Monday and taken into custody by ODIN personnel without incident. He had been on probation for several narcotic offenses at the time of his arrest. The investigation is ongoing and the Sheriff’s Department is encouraging anyone with additional information to contact Master Investigator Robert Cornett at 951-955-1700.

“The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department wants to remind citizens of the dangers of illicit narcotics, many which may contain fentanyl,” Reporting Deputy Sergeant Ryan Marcuse said. “Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times stronger than morphine and can cause death or serious bodily harm.”