NEWTON COUNTY – On Dec. 30, 2022, the Covington Police Department responded to a possible overdose on Hannah Street. Upon arrival officers located James Nail Jr. unresponsive. Nail Jr. was later pronounced deceased at Piedmont Newton. Drug paraphernalia was found with Nail Jr. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) toxicology showed that Nail Jr. had fentanyl and Xylazine in his system at the time of his death. Xylazine, also known as “Tranq,” is a horse tranquilizer that has become a popular additive to fentanyl causing it to be more deadly. Detectives from the Covington Police Department began investigating Nail Jr.’s death. After an extensive six-month investigation, detectives were able to determine where Nail Jr. had obtained the drugs in relation to his death. The GBI West Metro Regional Drug Task Force was contacted and assisted with the investigation.  

On June 21, 2023, the GBI executed a search warrant at 2322 Hwy. 81 S. Covington which resulted in the arrest of Matthew Burley. Burley was charged by the GBI West Metro Regional Drug Task Force with trafficking fentanyl. Burley was also charged with murder by the Covington Police Department for the death of James Nail Jr. The agencies that assisted in this investigation were GBI West Metro Regional Drug Task Force, Georgia State Patrol, the Newton County District Attorney’s Office, and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.