Mother reflects on life after her son’s dealer gets convicted

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAWS) – It’s been over a year since first fentanyl murder conviction in the state was assigned to Jacinto Jimenez of Wichita County.

The then 22-year-old was convicted in the death of Andres Diaz.

October is Fentanyl Awareness Month, and Diaz’s mother is working to spread awareness about the dangers of the drug.

Diaz’s mother still remembers the moment she received the tragic news, as well as what her life has been like since she lost her son.

“It was the worst morning for us. At 5am we got a call telling us to go to the emergency room and they said he was unresponsive. I think I couldn’t get into the car because I couldn’t believe it,” Nasaria Nunez said.

On the morning of July 15, 2022, detectives notified her family that her son’s death was a homicide, with the two suspects being then 21-year-old Jacinto Jimenez and 22-year-old Leigha Smith.

“Because the girl admitted that they bought two Percocet laced with fentanyl,” Nunez said.

Parents are often the first line of defense in the fight against drug use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a few warning signs that someone may be using a synthetic opioid are social withdrawal and sleepiness. Nunez said her son showed no signs of drug use.

“Please tell me you’re not taking any pills or anything. I’m not a mother, I would never do this, I would never take any pills. Even if they feel like you’re pushing too hard, just push. Ask, don’t be their friend, be their parent,” she said.

In September 2023, a first-of-its-kind trial aimed at increasing penalties for fentanyl traffickers resulted in a 45-year prison sentence for Jacinto Jimenez.

“It needs to be a harsher sentence, they really need to be given time for this. It seems like 45 years, that’s something, but still they took a life. Yes, we achieved justice, but still. And yet it won’t bring him back. It’s just hard to keep a smile on your face when you’re dying inside,” she said, later adding, “The hardest part of our journey is being without him.”

The illegal drug is the leading cause of death for Texans ages 18 to 45, and many users know their dealers personally.

“And that’s what’s so offensive. You were ready to sell it to someone you knew and went to elementary school. “You knew for a long time,” she said, continuing: “It’s hard to be in front of another family, that I wasn’t the only one who lost a son.” but they lost their son. But they have the opportunity to see their son, and they do. They can visit him, and I visit mine at the grave.”

Jimenez’s team filed an appeal in August, saying the previous trial focused on the dangers of the synthetic opioid rather than its effects.

Nunez said she and her family are committed to fighting for justice for her son and protecting other families from the burden she bears every day.