Danville man convicted on drug-induced homicide, multiple drug charges

URBANA, Ill. (WAND) — A Danville man was convicted on multiple drug charges, including drug-induced homicide, on Wednesday.

A federal jury returned eight guilty verdicts against Marcus "Slim" McKinney, including distribution of 50 grams or more of meth, and possession of 50 grams or more of meth and 500 grams or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute.

Over five days of testimony, the government presented evidence that McKinney was released from prison on April 6, 2023 under house arrest and wearing an ankle monitor. From that day until his arrest on June 26, 2024, the court found he worked to distribute crystal meth, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl, including exchanging the drugs with women for sex.

According to court documents, McKinney gave an opioid to a woman and lied about its contents in April of 2023. The woman would have died if not treated by Narcan by paramedics. Evidence showed that the same weekend, three other people overdosed on drugs provided by McKinney, including the fatal overdose of Christopher "RS" Fields.

The jury also found that in August of 2023, McKinney distributed a mixture of meth and fentanyl to Maggie Avelar, resulting in her death. McKinney and his brother then lied to police about the circumstances of her death.

The DEA seized over two pounds of meth and five kilograms of cocaine from storage lockers that McKinney opened under a confidential source's name.

He also engaged in witness tampering in January 2025 while his charges were pending.

The jury found that he wrote a letter to a potential witness urging her to contact McKinney's attorney and falsely say that other witnesses were lying about McKinney's drug activities and were trying to get her to lie as well.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 23, 2026 at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana. McKinney, who has two prior federal drug convictions, faces a statutory penalty of mandatory life imprisonment.

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