An Alameda man faces a murder charge for allegedly selling fentanyl-laced drugs that killed a 20-year-old Orinda resident nearly two years ago.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office formally charged Ulzii Orshikh Batsukh, 26, with murder on Thursday, Aug. 6, after detectives linked him to the narcotics that caused the death, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office announced the same day.

The Orinda Police Department opened the case in September 2024 after the young resident died. A medical examiner later ruled the cause of death as "acute fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl intoxication," indicating the drugs contained multiple synthetic opioid compounds.

Sheriff's Office detectives took over the investigation, eventually tracing where the drugs were purchased and identifying Batsukh as the seller. Detectives secured a Ramey arrest warrant, and Batsukh was taken into custody earlier in the week and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility, according to Contra Costa News.

According to Bay City News, Batsukh was booked on suspicion of murder, selling narcotics and possession of narcotics with intent to sell.

Authorities have not named the victim.

A 23-month investigation

The murder charge came nearly 23 months after the September 2024 death. Para-fluorofentanyl is a fentanyl analog, a synthetic opioid variant that has appeared in illicit drug supplies and is associated with overdose deaths. Its presence alongside fentanyl in the victim's toxicology confirmed the narcotics were laced with multiple potent compounds.

The San Francisco Bay Area, including Contra Costa County, has a higher rate of drug overdose deaths compared to California overall, according to a 2026 California Health Care Foundation report.

What's next

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600, email [email protected], or call the anonymous tip line at (866) 846-3592. No arraignment date for Batsukh has been publicly scheduled.